Dangan Ronpa: City of Despair
by DestinyParadox20
Summary: Welcome everyone, to Hope's Peak Academy's latest field trip! Chapter 2: Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing?- Everyone has a secret, so let's compare each others. I know yours and you know mine. Whoever has the better secret gets to kill.
1. SYOC

**Upupupu~ Welcome everyone, to a new school year for Hope's Peak Academy! I'm Monokuma, played by the illustrious Destiny Heart 13. And I, like any other sane person, would love to see killing between young boys and girls! Upupupupupupu~**

**And I'm Paradox Mind 7, also a contributing writer to this game. I apologize for my little sister's actions; Dangan Ronpa really gets to her… Probably like how I am with Corpse Party… All that blood and guts, children… slaughtered… death… Moving that aside, we have decided to start this… thing. Honestly I'm just going along with my little sister's wishes… so yeah, here's our stuff.**

***To make things easier, we are submitting four of our OCs, two boys and two girls, one or two you may recognize from other SYOC stories.**

***There is no time limit, but we will write the first chapter after we have additional characters.**

***The characters must be accepted by messaging, unless you're a guest in which you can submit through review.**

***Characters we would like to have submitted: Good Luck, who now has to be a boy.**

***Be unique! Think of characters that have a Talent, but are freaking FUN OR WEIRD! Think Gundam, Ibuki, Asahina, Fukawa, Sonia, Nidai, etc. **

***AND BE PREPARED FOR DEATH GALORE, YOU BASTARDS. –Destiny Heart**** 13**

* * *

**SYOC Form**

Name:

SHSL Title:

Gender: (Male/Female/Gay/Transvestite/Transgender)

Age:

Birthday:

Height:

Weight:

Looks and Distinguishable Features: (Hair color, eye color, skin complexion, peculiar hair style)

Fashion Style: (You may give the general idea of his/her outfits and/or specific examples.)

Personality:

Manner of Speech: (This will be a huge help in writing dialogue. You may write examples of their quotes and/or describe the way they talk. Do they speak nicely, condescending or stoic? How wide is their vocabulary?)

Likes &amp; Dislikes:

Background: (Family, education, traumatic experiences, home life, hobbies?)

Talents/skills: (The abilities your character possesses that allowed him/her to receive the title of SHSL)

Emotional State: (What does your character think about? How does he/she react to frustrating emotions, to success or to embarrassment? What is important in their lives?)

Behavior: (How does your character behave, move, respond?)

Human Interaction: (How do others react your character, to what they say and do? Do others see them the same way? Does the character see himself/herself in the same way? Does he/she have a lot of friends? Enemies?)

Most Unusual Characteristics:

Life Perspective: (How does your character see life differently from most other people?)

Distinguishable Factors: (How is your character different from others similar to him/her?)

First Impressions: (What would someone who meets your character for the first time be most likely to notice- or least likely to notice?)

_POSSIBLE MOTIVES__: If you wish for your character to be a culprit, make sure to fill this out creatively! If your character is a survivor or a victim, you can make them small._

Mental Stability: (Is your character sane? Does he/she have mental disorders like Komaeda? A Split personality like Fukawa? An incredible low self-esteem like Tsumiki? Any superiority or inferiority complexes? And any other complex disorder [behavioral, psychological, anti-social] Be creative. The world of psychology is vast and deep. But with the help of Google and Wikipedia, I'm sure you can find some crazy syndrome for your character.)

Worst Moment in Life: (The most embarrassing, emotionally scarring and tragic event in their lives. Publicly humiliated? Raped? Ostracized? Abused? Bullied? Don't hold back.)

Absolute Fear: (A despair-inducing nightmare that they themselves should be the only ones to know of)

Most Important Thing in Life: (Something he/she values more than his/ her life. The happiness of his/her friends? The last gift from his/her deceased loved one? A faithful doll or pet? A soul mate? A parent? A best friend? A mere object? Hope? Despair?)

Most Abominable Thing in Life:

Dark Secret: (Something that your character swore to never tell anyone in his/her life. This can be shameful, embarrassing or downright despicable)

How Would They Feel if Someone Knew That Secret:

If They could Have Any Wish Granted, What Would it Be and Why:

_GAME ROLE:_

Position in a school trial:

Player Category: (Culprit, Victim or Survivor? Not everyone can be a survivor, so please do not restrict yourself to the third choice. There is no definite number of survivors yet.)

Possible Execution: (Required, even for those who aren't culprits. You don't have to be too cruel. Just give me an idea for how they should atone for their sin of murder.)

Possible Love Interest: (_This will not be addressed until later_)

Most Badass/Deep Quote Possible:

**End Form**

* * *

**Now we introduce the student roster. They are:**

**Girls**

**Sora Imayoshi- SHSL Pastry Chef (Destiny Heart 13)**

**Miki Okazaki- SHSL Seamstress (Paradox Mind 7)**

**Hanako Amaya- SHSL Medium (xxpandaheroxx)**

**Auruka Micho- SHSL Attorney (FreezeThunder)**

**Kanade Maiyuri- SHSL Pianist (Sakura Dragon of Yin)**

**Diana 'Snapback' Valentine- SHSL Street Performer (UberDuper)**

**Mandy Jenifer Dimuc- SHSL B**rainiac (Wings4148)****

****Amane Ikeda- SHSL Spy (Spontaneous Extremist)****

**Boys**

**Nathaniel Robinson- SHSL Fencer (Destiny Heart 13)**

**Keiichi Yoshikazu- SHSL Cheer Captain (Paradox Mind 7)**

**Jude Beckett- SHSL Escapist (JayTboxer)**

**Akihisa Futonomi- SHSL Swordsman (Shadowplayer360)**

** Kaishi Morita- SHSL Water Polo Player(Spontaneous Extremist)**

**Kousuke Kurosawa- SHSL Tattoo Artist (KomoriRin)**

** Yoshi Yomohiro- SHSL Storyteller (HeroNoMore)**

**Isamu Minobe- SHSL Good Luck (xxpandaheroxx)**

**So, we eagerly await on who will partake in… wait for it…**

**DANGAN RONPA 3: City of Despair! **

**Finally, yes! Let's get this Mutual Killing Started!**

**Boys: 8/8**

**Girls: 8/8**


	2. The City Life of Mutual Friendship 0-1

_It's shattered, like a mirror…_

_The pieces… are all scattered around her… and she can't remember what they make put together… Every time she tries to recollect, it breaks apart._

_But there's one fragment she can grasp just ever so slightly…_

_She was sitting down… but she felt like she was moving at the same time. Was she in a car? A bus? No wait, it was a train. Her hands were clutching her skirt, the paths on her face were drying, but why was she crying? What happened to her? Despite that, she continues to look at the view in front of her; the afternoon glow made her feel somber along with the billow of smoke following. Why was there smoke outside? She didn't see a factory or anything that would associate with it, and any view was hindered by the cluster of trees._

_What's this? There's something in her hands._

_The letter is too crumpled too clearly read the title; I guess that whatever was on it was too much for her that she felt best to try to hide it somewhat._

"…"

_Oh, it seems that an announcement is coming on, but she can barely understand what their saying, but it must mean that the train arrived at the stop as it begins to slow down._

_The screech of the wheels on the tracks is the only sound she can clearly recall, and she starts to get off as the train come to a complete stop. The train doors slide open and she's greeted with the sight of-_

"_Rise and shine!"_

* * *

"Egyah!"

She's jolted out of a forgotten dream by what sounded like a plane turbine in her ear. She immediately stood up, only to slip on her feet and crash back down, sprawled on her butt. She could barely see with her bangs shielding her eyes from her surroundings.

"Yoshikazu! You shouldn't yell like that. You startled the girl!" The gruff male voice was angry, directed to whoever this Yoshikazu was.

Another, more upbeat, male voice replied "Eh? I thought you guys wanted her to wake up?" Apparently he was the turbine in her ear. Oh God, is that a ringing she hears?

"And I thank God, we regained conscious before you."

Before the other could retort, a third voice, female, joined in. "Excuse me, but can you two please settle down? She's awake now, and I don't want her to think of us as raving lunatics." The other girl seemed to be the most calm, with whatever was going on.

The young girl moved the strands of pink hair away from her eyes in order to see exactly who she was with, but stopped when she glanced at her right wrist. Odd, she never owned a watch before. It definitely looked different than the watches her elder brother and father owned. It was a digital watch with a glowing screen, the holder divided into an equal black and white style; the black strap felt a little tight, and the number seven kept flashing on the screen.

She instinctively reached for the watch to get a better understanding, but she heard someone stay "Hello there, nice to meet you."

She looked up and was surprised to see that it was the female voice, now accompanied with a blurry face; she flinched slightly, the face was mere inches from her.

She waved her hands in a form of apology. "I'm sorry about that; I didn't mean to freak you out there." She was able to get a good look at, what she now realized, was a veiled girl, and noticing that, she lifted the veil to give her a better look. She looked to be her age, with long, frizzy black hair and sharp green eyes; her skin was blemish free, save for the light dusting of freckles on her cheeks.

She stood up and held out her hand, reminding the girl she was still on the floor; she reached for the hand that was adorned with five golden bracelets on her arm, another five on the other. She was able to clearly see the other: a lavender shirt that flowed and slightly covered a long white skirt with a small train tied to the skirt and blue sandals to top it all off.

She took a glance behind the other to see who the other voices belonged to; the two young men definitely stood out. One had on a yellow tracksuit and the other was mostly wearing dark clothing with a scarf, but they both stood among the metal walls.

Wait, metal walls?

She looked around and behind, ignoring the looks that they may have given her, but it was bizarre. They were in a slightly cramped square room, similar to a closet, albeit a bit larger. The coating of the walls, floor, and ceiling were all silver chrome, with small lights dotting and illuminating the room. It was too much for her, but it still wasn't enough.

"Where…" She stopped at the raspy sounding of her voice, the others slightly startled. She cleared her throat before beginning again. "Where am I?" There, better.

The other girl spoke up. "That's what we would all like to know." She looked slightly somber, and when she brought her hands to her chest, she noticed that she was wearing the same watch she had on. She continued. "Well, we all woke up here- well I did first actually. And none of us remember how we got here, but we've been in here for maybe ten minutes? I don't know." She gave her an awkward smile and asked, "Did that help?"

Not at all, but she wouldn't say that. "But why are we here?" She then pointed to the watch on her wrist. "And what's with this watch? You have one on too, and I bet those two behind you do as well."

"Yeah, you're right, both Yoshikazu-kun and Futonomi-san are wearing watches like us." She nodded to them and they lifted their wrists showing the same watch, but on the left wrist instead of right for the girls. "And besides I wouldn't worry about this. It's probably some kind of initiation put by our senpais."

That caught her attention, especially when she mentioned senpais. Why would upperclassmen be a part of this? "Initiation for what?" she asked.

Scarf boy- Futonomi? - spoke up. "It seems to be the only reasonable explanation. Although, why the students of Hope's Peak would do something like this is beyond me. But then again-"

"Wait, wait, Hope's Peak Academy? Why would you bring that up?" Wait a minute, didn't she… was she…

"Well, we talked amongst each other and figured out that all of us are the new students that would begin our school year at Hope's Peak. So then, that must mean that you're also like us. Super High School Level…" she trailed off, hoping the other would tell her. But that means…

Is she… Who is…?

And like that it came to her.

"…Auruka…" she whispered.

"What?" Tracksuit asked.

She exclaimed almost like a hero would. "I am Micho Auruka, the Super High School Level Defense Attorney!" She failed to notice the sounds of exclamation and surprise.

**Auruka Micho- Super High School Level Defense Attorney**

She looked at the trio and flushed as she realized what she had done; oh dear, did she just make a fool of herself in front of her new classmates? With a burning face she bowed in front of them to make up for what she'd done. "Sorry! Just a bit carried away here!" She heard the other girl giggle, like the ring of bells in the gentle breeze, and felt a pat on her head.

"It's ok," she heard her say with a gentle tone; Auruka looked up to see it followed with a serene smile. "You're not the only weirdo in this group." Auruka heard one of the boys grunt and the other mutter 'wha?' from behind the girl.

"Anyway, since you gave us a… very enthusiastic introduction, I'll introduce myself as well. My name is Amaya Hanako and I carry the title of Super High School Level Medium. I see dead people." There was slight groaning from the boy in the scarf, leaving Auruka slightly confused. Was that supposed be a joke or something?

**Hanako Amaya- Super High School Level Medium **

The Defense Attorney may not have actually Hanako before, but she did know a bit about her; there's a multitude of online forums that cover every future student of Hope's Peak, and Auruka could say that she was curious at times. She went online immediately when she received her letter, gathering as much info as she could about the path to her bright future.

Hanako Amaya is considered the newest interest in the occult fandom, conversing with spits and other supernatural entities from the other side, gaining recognition on her abilities. With her charming nature and youthful beauty, she has been hailed as an icon when it comes to the rising popularity of the dark arts.

Before the Defense Attorney could say anything, someone moved in front of Hanako, leaving her to step back; the young man in the tracksuit was giving a beaming smile and almost looked like he was about to burst. He was taller than Auruka, and underneath the tracksuit he looked about fit. He had startling golden eyes that seemed to sparkle in the dim room, and his dark red hair was shaggy and unkempt. Up close, she noticed that the tracksuit was partly unzipped, showing a white undershirt, and his pant legs were rolled up to his knees with black sneakers. He had a black bandana tied around his forehead with a symbol of a golden crown on it, a silver whistle around his neck, and a large yellow duffel bag strapped to his back. It almost hurt to look at him, especially with his blinding white smile.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" he cheered. "It's nice to meet ya'!" He scratched his head and looked to be slightly embarrassed. "Eheh, sorry about the wakeup call though, but anyway my name is Keiichi Yoshikazu and I'm the Super High School Level Cheer, Cheer, Cheer Captain!"

**Keiichi Yoshikazu- Super High School Level Cheer Captain**

She could only stare at Keiichi in both confusion and somewhat amazement at his personality, from behind the other boy face palmed while Hanako shrugged her shoulders. "N-nice to meet you two, Yoshikazu-kun…" She said.

Keiichi Yoshikazu was a cheer captain who everyone looked forward to seeing. Every sports team has a cheer squad, but Keiichi was the captain of what was considered the ultimate cheer squad. The energy and support that's put into his cheers just drives anyone to do their best, leading rag tag groups to become National champions. One prime example was when he was still in Junior High and cheered on an upperclassman of his in her swim relay, Aoi Asahina. Of course there was still debate on that piece of history, but the point was that Keiichi had something.

Quite suddenly he was shoved from Auruka's view, making way for the third and final student to properly introduce. The one thing that stood out the most was his wardrobe choice: a black scarf over a dark leather jacket, with a dark blue shirt underneath, black jeans, sneakers that were, you guessed it, black, and his hair was black and reached the base of his neck, followed by light brown eyes, or eye because his hair was styled that only his right eye was shown. Compared to Keiichi, it was clear that he was different in any aspect to the Cheer Captain.

He held out his hand but didn't try to hide the scowl on his face. Shaking hands with him, he introduced himself. "I'm Futonomi Akihisa and I'm the Super High School Level Swordsman."

**Akihisa Futonomi- Super High School Level Swordsman**

Auruka slightly froze as he gave his title, but either he didn't notice or didn't care. Not that she was scared! It's just, a title like Swordsman would definitely make people think twice about how to act towards this guy.

The only information she could gather on Akihisa Futonomi was that he was an ace when it came to the art of sword dueling. Many people online were excited to know what would happen if he went up against the Super High School Level Swordswoman, but other than that there was really no other details regarding Akihisa. And he wasn't the only one with limited information; Auruka knew their names and titles, but only knew what a few looked like.

Which reminds her, if these are her future classmates, then where are the remaining twelve?

Hanako spoke up. "Well, now that we all know each other, we should think about why we're here. And where our other classmates are, right?"

"Yeah," Auruka said "And where exactly are we? What is the room?" It was weird. She felt like she knew what the room was supposed to be... It was on the tip of her tongue.

"Isn't it obvious? We're in an elevator." She and the others looked at Keiichi who was looking at something behind Auruka. "I mean, aren't those, like, the doors?" he pointed behind her, and they looked behind the Defense Attorney to see he was right. The wall Auruka was leaning on wasn't a wall, it was sunken in, with a thin gap was down the center. How did she not notice that?

"Hey, he's right." Hanako stepped in front of the newly discovered door. She tried to pry it open, but was met with little success. "No good, it's stuck. Hey, Futonomi-san, Yoshikazu-kun, do you two think you can open it?"

Stepping to it, the two tried to pry open the elevator doors by jamming their fingers in the little gap. Sadly, they too were unable to open.

This wasn't making any sense whatsoever to Auruka. The barrage of questions flew from her mouth. "How exactly did we end in an elevator? And why were we unconscious? And what do these watches mean?" Before anyone could say anything, a voice interrupted.

_*bzzzt* *ksssh* "Ahem, mic test, mic test. Can anyone hear me? Hello, check one, two, and three."_

The voice resonating through the cramped chamber spooked Auruka and the others. It sounded like someone was speaking through to the four, but the voice was slightly… off. It sounded effeminate and high pitch, like a talking animal that Auruka was accustomed with seeing on her little brother's favorite programs. But the weirdest thing was, it felt _familiar_.

"_Good morning my students- wait, you can't really tell that it's morning right now. Silly me! Anyway, now that all sixteen of you have made proper introductions with a few of your classmates, how about we let you meet the others? Please wait for a second as I finish the final touches. Thank you!" *bzzzt* _

They were left in a confused silence, wondering exactly what the voice was talking about.

"What… what the hell was that?" Her thoughts exactly, Akihisa.

"I'm not sure Futonomi-san, but you did hear what… _they_ said though. 'Sixteen of you'? That must mean the others are here too." Hanako rubbed at her naked wrist. "Wherever _here _is." She tried to pass it off by giving a short laugh, but Auruka could catch the slight apprehension.

Before anyone say anything, there was a shudder; the creak of metal sliding open slightly aggravated their ears, but they didn't focus on that. Being the closest and seeing it looked suitable to slip through, Auruka managed to squeeze through in a way to escape the confines. She ignored the slight protests from the others and managed to exit and land on the outside, ready for whatever would happen.

The loud scream that followed was something she didn't expect.


	3. The City Life of Mutual Friendship 0-2

Auruka was never one for sitting, never had and never will. She always loved the way she stood up with authority, her hands hitting the table, and shouting 'Objection!' as she defended on of her clients. So why is this the second time her bottom is meeting the floor again? It didn't make any sense.

None of it did; waking up in an elevator with three other kids that were supposed to be her classmates for an elite school and the strange voice that welcomed them. Then the elevator opened up and she managed to squeeze through only to meet the ground by a scream. Well, whoever it was definitely wasn't getting a panty shot as Auruka managed to save a shred of dignity by bringing her skirt down.

"Eh, ah, I-I…" She looked up to the side and noticed two more kids, a boy and a girl; a glance behind them showed more people emerging from three other elevators. The one stuttering was the short girl, who looked too pink for Auruka's taste, and the boy looked admittedly handsome save for the smirk on his face.

Being Super High School Level students, many expect _unusual _appearances or something that catches your eye, like the Super High School Level Gambler, Baseball Player, Animal Breeder, or the Light Music Club Member. It seemed they caught on to the tradition. But before Auruka could actually do anything, a voice rang out in concern.

"Micho-san, are you okay?" She turned her head to see Hanako emerging from the fully opened elevator doors, her face etched with worry. The others followed behind her, but Keiichi stopped when he saw the other two.

"Yeah, just resting myself a bit, so no worries." She said, but then Keiichi spoke up, pointing at the new girl. "Hey, what are you-"

"I'm sorry!" The girl shielded her face, which Auruka noticed looked slightly red, from everyone and began running away from them, leaving the group slightly confused. Keiichi wouldn't have any of it as he chased after her.

"Wait a second! Hold on for a second!" He pushed past a few of the others chasing softer the girl.

"Honestly, what is that man thinking, chasing after a complete stranger?" Walking to the group, save for Akihisa- when did he leave the group? - was another girl. "Doesn't he realize the dangers he could put himself in?"

"Lighten up Dim-chan, Imayoshi's not gonna bite him or anything." Said the boy, letting Auruka get a closer look at his appearance: his hair was bleach blonde and styled, he carried a soft tan with blue eyes. He was wearing a white and gold shirt under a leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers. She could admit that he was a bit… handsome.

"Can you not call me that please?" She brought her attention back to the other girl who spoke with such a dull tone; her appearance was dull as well. Frizzy black hair like Hanako, pale skin with blue eyes behind a pair of thick rimmed glasses; she wore a dark brown sweater, the collar of a purple blouse poking out from under, cream colored dress pants, and a pair of black flats. Despite looking like a shut in, she had aura of refinement around her. "My name is not 'Dim', it's Dimuc. Mandy Jennifer Dimuc to be exact."

**Mandy Dimuc- Super High School Level Brainiac**

Mandy Dimuc. The name's a bit difficult for Auruka to properly pronounce but then again, she did come from America and her English was never good to begin with. Mandy carried the title due to her advanced intelligence in academics; she is considered a role model to the female general public and someone who could do something truly amazing with the proper environment to grow. Except, she really wasn't what the Defense Attorney expected in appearance.

She was still excited to meet someone like Mandy and maybe get a chance to-

"I would appreciate it if you would cease staring at me with your gaze, if you could."

Catching Mandy's eyes, Auruka could only stutter like the other girl. "S-sorry, uh… Just a bit distracted by… here!" She waved her arms around her to emphasize her fascination with the layout of the warehouse and its- wait this is a warehouse? Looking around, it was indeed a warehouse or storage unit, around the size of a soccer field, with metal walls and a concrete floor- that would've really hurt! - with giant fluorescent lights glaring down on them. Various people were scattered among the area. Were the rest of the students that the voice talked about?

Mandy continued. "By the way you're looking around, I can conclude you're like myself and the others. You also don't remember anything prior to waking up in one of those elevators." Auruka nodded her head no. "That's a disappointment."

"Um, I don't mean to pry but you said your name is Dim-Dima… Mandy, right? That's kinda an odd name." Hanako had a slight blush on her face. "You're the Super High School Level Brainiac, am I right? I'm Amaya Hanako the-"

"The Super High School Level Medium. I already know, and you're Auruka Micho correct? The Super High School Level Defense Attorney."

That surprised Auruka. "Eh? How did you-"

"The badge you have pinned to your shirt, that's a badge that defense attorneys carry with them, that and I memorized the names and titles of every one of my classmates." The way she said that so nonchalantly was kind of scary.

But she mentioned her badge. Come to think of it, the only thing she could recall ever looking at on her person was her pink hair. Looking down she took note of her outfit: long sleeved collared shirt with the badge clipped to her collar, purple knee-length skirt, and white slip-on shoes, her only distinctive feature was her short cropped pink hair, and maybe the little bit that always manages to stand up. Yup, pretty average.

"That's amazing Mandy-chan! I could never figure things out that quick!" Didn't Auruka tell you her title Hanako? Noticing the young man, Hanako asked "Ah, but who are you? Are you the Super High School Level Fencer? Or maybe the Water Polo Player?"

"My dear I can be anyone you want me to be." Giving a flirtatious wink, he walked up to Hanako to grab her hand and kiss the knuckle. "But I go by the name Minobe Isamu and I humbly carry the title of Super High School Level Good Luck.

**Isamu Minobe- Super High School Level Good Luck **

The title 'Super High School Level Good Luck' was a more specific and somewhat odd title, mainly because the fact there was always someone with that title. Every talent at Hope's Peak is original and only reserved for the student of said title, but the Good Luck is quite honestly nobody. More specifically, a random, average, normal child that had their name drawn from a raffle that happens every year. The title simply meant they were lucky enough to get into a refined school. Although, Auruka kinda wanted someone else to hopefully be the Good Luck; the past years were said to be the nicest people.

"And I hope that you and I get a chance to see how lucky I can get- Oww, what are you doing?!"

Isamu let out a high pitched cry of pain as Mandy dug her heel deeper into his foot. A usage of violence on an unsuspecting young man; it actually looked kind of funny. Auruka felt a bit amused when Mandy relented, leaving the Good Luck to hop around in in agony while cradling his foot.

"Can you please not hit on anything with a skirt while we're here? Honestly, are all men perverts no matter where you go? I thought that coming to a new country would-"Mandy paused and pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Regardless, I'm going to go greet someone else, preferably of the same sex or understanding." She walked away from the group, leaving them somewhat confused.

"Ignore Dim-chan, she's just an ice queen from the West. But I on the other hand," He looked at Auruka with a charming gaze and gave a wink. "Can easily warm your heart Micho-chan. I promise you that I can easily-"

"Micho-chan, Micho-chan, look! Look over there!" Hanako pulled Auruka by the arm, leaving Isamu behind as she dragged the Defense Attorney over to where her interests were. She ignored his weak protest and looked to see that Hanako was dragging her towards two more people: a boy and a girl.

The boy was holding hands with the girl, who looked like some kind of Amazon compare to the boy. The boy had a pale complexion, short white hair with some of his bangs held by light violet clip, with light blue eyes directed at the other. He wore a white polo shirt with a light blue jacket around his thin waist, light purple pants, and black polo shoes. He didn't seem to take notice of the two girls as they walked over, but his acquaintance did.

"Salutations. And who might you two be?" said the Amazon, who upon closer inspection, one could tell she wasn't foreign, but Japanese. Her tone was somewhat empty and slightly muffled, as evident with the large scarf covering her mouth.

She had a lighter shade of pink hair than Auruka, short cropped with two large buns on either side, large gray eyes, and porcelain skin. Her dress style was unique, a short sleeved white blouse, a light tan knee-length skirt adorned with various buttons adorning the waist, white stockings, and brown slip-ons. The scarf around her mouth was fairly long and appeared to be stitched together with various fabrics. The only thing Auruka couldn't stare away from was the evident… bounty on the girl's chest.

…Damn it…

Hanako derailed Auruka's train of thought by exclaiming "Ms. Okazaki! It's such an honor to meet you!" She bowed as if in front of royalty, the scarfed girl tilting her head. It took a second for Auruka to realize Hanako's outburst.

"Wait! You're Okazaki Miki, the designer?"

"Yes, that is the name in which I am addressed as." She only stared at the two girls with an open stare. "Wataksi am Okazaki Miki, and wataksi am now the Super High School Level Seamstress."

**Miki Okazaki- Super High School Level Seamstress**

Auruka took a moment to go over what she heard. "Wait, wait. Did you just say 'wataksi'?" she asked, slightly confused.

Not missing a beat, Miki replied. "Forgive me. What I meant to say was 'I'. I apologize if I had left you as they say, in the dark." That was a bit, weird.

Then again, celebrities all had their own quirks. Well, Miki Okazaki wasn't really a celebrity, but she was pretty famous in the fashion world, so Auruka would consider her a celebrity. Miki Okazaki was a young girl who designed and stitched clothing trends that caught the appeal of teen girls, teen boys, adults, you name it. Most would consider her a fashion mogul, but Miki Okazaki said that she was simply a seamstress.

The boy tugged on Miki's hand to get her attention. "Miss Okazaki, that's not the correct way to use that phrase of words, but it did hold similar meaning." His voice sounded soft and patient, and he looked over in the girl's general direction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two girls, but if I may ask, would you kindly introduce yourselves? Or would you appreciate if I began my introduction?"

Taking up on his offer, Auruka said "Sure, be my guest."

He smiled. "Alright. It's a pleasure to meet you two ladies. My name is Yomohiro Yoshi and I'm the Super High School Level Storyteller."

**Yoshi Yomohiro- Super High School Level Storyteller**

Auruka felt a tad guilty for not knowing any information of Yoshi; some of the roster for the 80th Class of Hope's Peak was empty in some spots. Still, having a talent for storytelling must actually be something if he carries it, so she chose to stay quite. Both Auruka and Hanako proceeded to introduce themselves and after that, Miki wished to ask them a question.

"If it is not troubling, would you two please allow me to view your wrists? I wish to prove a theory."

"Oh, okay." Hanko lifted up her wrists, her bracelets jingling, and Auruka followed her example. Miki peered down slightly to look at the watches before moving back.

"I see. I appears that you two carry the same watches as Yomohiro and I, as well as the others we have met. And they appear to have the same number as before, so there is no need to be concerned with wondering what is on their screens." The two raised their wrists to show that they too had the watches strapped to them.

"Ah, so that's how it is. Well, Micho-chan and I were wondering what the watches meant. Why would you be concerned about what they say Yomohiro-kun?"

"Well, I'm blind so I really need to know what my surroundings." Despite the initial shock from the two, Yoshi looked like he merely talked about the weather. "Even without seeing, I can tell you look shocked, but that's okay. I'm used to this kind of thing, and I would appreciate if you didn't treat me any different wherever we are."

"Would you allow me to describe our surroundings, Yomohiro?" asked Miki.

Giving their good byes to the duo, Miki now giving a detailed explanation on the surrounding to the nodding Yoshi, Auruka and Hanako took notice of Isamu with two other girls. It seemed obvious that the Good Luck would try to hang out with the rest of the female class. A few feet away, the Defense Attorney noticed one of them was someone she met before, the young girl who ran away crying. She probably realized this as well as she tried to scuttle away from the group, but the other girl grabbed her by the collar of her shirt.

"Ah ah little miss, you are not leaving our site again. We have some people who want to talk to us." The girl huffed but stopped trying to move, and the other girl loosened her grip, but she then tried to make a quick dash.

"Hey, stop that! Come here." She wrapped her arm around the escapee, and managed to get a good hold, the other girl turned to face them dejectedly. She was shorter than the rest of the group, but she looked colorful.

She was wearing a pink blouse with a red ribbon at the collar, a purple brooch in the center, the watch on her right wrist, a yellow bell skirt with pink fabric stitched to the waist, knee high white socks, Mary Jane's, and all topped off with a miniature gold crown on top of her short, curled, blonde hair held down by a black ribbon under her chin. She tried to look to look at anything else with orbs of bright pink, red blooming on her cheeks, leaving the Defense Attorney confused.

The other girl was a bit showier than the rest. Or maybe the better word would be loud? Her only choice of clothing was a red show dress, black thigh highs that had some swirling pattern etched, and- oddly enough- black sneakers. The watch was strapped to the right wrist, standing out on her tanned skin, and she had twinkling brown eyes, with a few strands of (obviously) dyed turquoise hair hanging down in front of her eyes and chest, the rest pulled into a large ponytail. Auruka didn't want to stare at the girl's waist or bosom too long; she could already feel the stabbing feeling in her inadequate chest.

The girl in pink had buried her face in her hands. "I can't, I can't! She must hate me now!" That surprised Auruka and Hanako, especially when it sounded like the girl was near tears. "There's no way that the Super High School Defense Attorney and the Super High School Level Medium would come see me, unless it was because they were humiliated for what I did!" Most of what she was saying made sense.

Auruka looked to Hanako who only shrugged her shoulder; she was going to try the calm the girl down, but then stopped.

"How, how do you know my title?" She never one mentioned anything like that near this girl, so how does she know that? And frankly, how does she know Hanako's? Did Isamu tell them, maybe?

The Good Luck managed to butt in at the perfect moment. "Hey, Micho-chan, Amaya-chan, don't get scared or anything. Imayoshi-chan is a harmless little cupcake who wouldn't dare to hurt anyone."

"Yeah, well I still don't trust you with any girls, so I can still hurt you," said the girl in the show dress, who began petting Imayoshi. The girl's eyes poked out of the finger prison to look up at the other. "Come on Sora, why don't you explain why you think they would be humiliated to the pretty girls. Look I'll go first if it'll make you feel better." She stood up straight and gave a little wave and smile. "Hi there, my name is Diana Valentine and it's nice to meet you! I'm also known as Snapback, because I'm the Super High School Level Street Performer and I deserve an awesome stage name."

**Diana Valentine- Super High School Level Street Performer**

Sadly, it seemed that she was just one of the few that Auruka had never heard of. Leave it to the internet with leaving out details that would be appreciated.

The other girl (Sora was it?) had her hands down, her cheeks aflame. She stared down at the floor and mumbled, "Um, I-I'm, my name is Imayoshi Sora and it's a ho-honor to meet y-you. Please forgive my mistake of screaming!" she half-yelled. "Ah! I forgot to give my title! Forgive me, I'm the S-super High School Level Pasty, Pastry Chef!"

**Sora Imayoshi- Super High School Level Pastry Chef**

There was nothing that the Defense Attorney recalled on a pastry chef in the roster, but she definitely would have remembered a girl as timid as Sora. Or maybe as busty as Diana. No, let it go. Let it go. Auruka and Hanako had introduced and gave their titles, but something was still bothering her.

"How exactly do you know who I am though, Imayoshi-san?"

She fidgeted. "I, I wanted to get a bit of information b-before I came to Hope's Peak. No, I actually knew a bit about some of you. B-but then, I… I…" She once again shielded her face.

"Eh, Imayoshi-chan is just embarrassed that you slid down on your ass." Isamu gave a slight chuckle while the Pastry Chef squealed through her hands. Auruka could feel slight heat on her cheeks, but shook it off.

Hanako tried to reassure the blushing girl, while Diana tried to pull her hands away from her face; Isamu was definitely no help. It was kind of amusing, but Auruka wasn't going to admit that. She actually wanted to at least know something about these girls. "So, Valentine-san? Your title was a Street Performer?"

She looked up after successfully prying one hand off. "That's right. I actually was in this group that traveled Europe. I doubt you heard of the Midnight Maladies?" Auruka shook her head. "Thought so. But it's this girl whose done things!" She had both hands in her grasp and began rubbing cheeks with Imayoshi's tomato face, the other slightly protesting.

"From what Sora said, she's catered deserts to famous people! Hey, tell them how you served food to the princess of a foreign country!"

"Really? You got to meet a princess?" exclaimed Hanako, while Auruka looked interested.

"N-no I didn't really s-see her! B-but I made some things for her, and she liked them. B-but I'm nowhere near as famous as some of the o-other students here."

"Wherever here is." Muttered Isamu from the sideline.

Sora gave a timid smile. "It's st-still an honor to meet the Queen of the Court," As if realizing something, she looked down at the floor and her smile was replaced with a face of worry. "Although, y-you still are probably angry about what I did. I had to scream when I saw you and then…."

Remembering her first experience outside the elevator, but not wishing to make the Pastry Chef worry over it, she tried to laugh it off. "Don't worry about it, I'm totally- wait did you just say 'Queen of the Court'?" She hoped that she just heard Sora wrong, but the girl nodded.

Hanako looked confused, as well as the others. "Micho-san, who's the Queen of the Court?" Realization dawned on her. "Is it a nickname you were given?"

"Y-yeah, but I rather not talk about it…" She just wanted to leave it at that, then drag on about a stupid title about her. Sora had closed her mouth and ended at that, and Hanako decided to as well.

Isamu had decided to get between the two girls, placing an arm around both of their respective shoulders. "Alright then, Micho-chan, Amaya-chan, it think we now know who's who over here, so why don't you girls go off and meet the others." Sora was slightly confused and Diana looked unamused. "The girls and I will go see the Brainiac and discuss talents." He walked away arm-and-arm with the two (maybe one) unsuspecting girls.

"Should we be worried for Imayoshi-san and Valentine-san?" asked Hanako.

Auruka was still processing what just happened. "Eh, I, I don't think so. At best, maybe Dimuc or Valentine will be able to stop before he does anything too stupid. Hey, why didn't we talk to those three over there?" She pointed over to a group that looked to have Keiichi included in it. While walking over, Hanako took note of three other people in a little group to the side. Keiichi looked to be in a very intense discussion with a tanned man with bleached hair, so the girls wished to introduce themselves to the quieter trio.

The closet was a girl with short, sandy blonde hair that went a little past her chin, her bangs swept to cover her left eye, leaving a sole deep blue eye. She was slightly tan and was wearing a black shirt under a leather jacket, skinny jeans, and black, buckled combat boots, complementing her slender figure. Her most notable feature would have to be the nose piercing on her right nostril along with the multiple ear piercings on her ears, followed with a scar running down the side of her face.

Auruka was slightly frightened by the girl's appearance, but Hanako paid no mind. "It's nice to meet you miss. I'm Amaya Hanako and this is Micho Auruka, and you are?"

"I'm Ikeda Amane. I'm known as the Super High School Level Spy. Nice to meet you."

**Amane Ikeda- Super High School Level Spy **

Before either could day anything regarding her title, one of the other's spoke up. He was the only guy and seemed to glare at the two girls - his height definitely helped - with light amethyst eyes. He was wearing a white dress shirt under a black suit vest, dark blue jeans with the left pant leg rolled up to his knee, white sneakers, and a small white duffel bag strapped to his back. "My name is Nathaniel Robinson and I carry the title of Fencer." His voice was gruff and harsh, similar to Amane's cold tone.

**Nathaniel Robinson- Super High School Level Fencer**

Auruka could feel another hand grasp hers and she squeezed Hanako's as hard as she could. She couldn't say anything, but Auruka regretted ever coming over here.

But then an angel appeared from behind the two, an angel who looked like a doll. Her fair complexion, warm brown eyes, and flowing ebony hair down to the waist with half tied up with a light pink ribbon. She even dressed angelic: a white sleeveless semi-formal dress at knee-length, a light pink ribbon pinned on the right, sliver ballet flats, and a silver locket around her neck.

The trio all had the dreaded watch on their left wrists, Amane having an additional on her right.

"Um, I hope you can forgive these two." Her voice was timid and meek, but had a cuter tone than Sora's stuttering. "Ikeda-san and Robinson-san aren't really ones for conversation, but I can assure you that there's nothing to fear." The mentioned two stiffened. "I mean, not from them. Uh, I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense. Oh, I should introduce myself. My name is Maiyuri Kanade and I'm the Super High School Level Pianist and I hope we can be friends, if that's alright with you?"

**Kanade Maiyuri- Super High School Level Pianist**

The two girls could only stare at the serene cuteness of the aforementioned Pianist, Hanako with a color of red. Although it seemed that their minds were on the same level, when they both exclaimed, "You're so cute!" only to realize what they just said.

The Spy, the Fencer, and the cute Pianist could only stare while the two girls were both flushed and frozen. Not willing to embarrass herself further, Auruka pulled the Medium's hand and speed walked from the trio. She took a glance back to see Kanade smiling slightly.

"That could've gone better." She said

"That was so embarrassing Micho-san!" Hanako whined. "I didn't think it would slip and we totally humiliated Maiyuri-san."

Oy, oy, Michocchi! Amayacchi!" Keiichi's booming voice caught their attention, but Auruka cringes with the butchering of her surname. The group they were going to meet looked to have included Akihisa, leaving the number of guys at five. Hoping to put what happened behind her she approached them, starting with the attractive bleach blonde.

Up close, it was evident that the skin and hair came from spending time outside, as well as the muscular build he had. The dark eyes were a bit sharp and off putting, but she paid no mind. He was wearing a dark green, long sleeved athletic shirt, jean shorts, grey sneakers, and a little diamond stud piercing on his right ear.

"Yo, nice to meet you guys. Yoshikazu told me about you too; name's Morita Kaishi. I'm the Super High School Level Water Polo Player."

**Kaishi Morita- Super High School Level Water Polo Player **

The girls introduced themselves and gave their respective titles, but Auruka sadly had nothing on Kaishi or any of the other boys, but Keiichi came to the rescue.

"Hey, hey, hey guys you heard what Moritacchi said, right? He's the Super High School Level Water Polo Player, how cool is that?! He's a sportsman and the captain of his team!" Kaishi looked almost pleased with the praise he was receiving.

"Excuse me, uh, Yoshi…kazu, right?" one of the boys spoke up, but there was a slight accent in it. "Is it all right if we can introduce ourselves as well?" Futonomi looked to be trying to stand as farther from the other. Odd.

He had a light green right eye, the other curtained by his shaggy black hair, and a pale complexion, especially compared to the others. He was sporting a light tan double-breasted jacket over a light grey turtleneck, black jeans, and black slip on shoes.

"Uh, right. Nice to meet you." Said Auruka, although why she was going to reintroduce herself, she didn't know. "I'm Micho Auruka and this is Amaya Hanako."

He smiled. "It's nice to meet you two fine lasses, my name is Jude Beckett and I'm the Super High School Level Escapist. It's a pleasure to meet you two, Auruka and Hanako."

**Jude Beckett- Super High School Level Escapist**

The Defense Attorney could only blush when Jude so casually used her first name, not risking telling him his mistake.

"Beckett-kun, Beckett-kun, you really shouldn't call us that!" Shut up Hanako! "In Japan, we refer others by last name instead of our first names, a sense of personal matter."

The Escapist looked surprised, and cleared his throat. "My apologies, I'm just not yet adjusted to Japanese culture and such. I truly feel like a twit right now." His usage of wording was something Auruka had yet to encounter, but she paid no mind. Not as long as she heard the rich accent. "My apologies, again, Miss Amaya, and to you too Miss Micho." He gave a small laugh. "I guess England is different that over here."

Another voice joined in. "Eh? Beckett-kun lived in England? I was wondering with that accent. I thought you just forgot how to speak proper."

The young man would account for the sixteenth student in the roster. He looked almost like a model from a magazine; his pale skin brought out his neon blue irises, his hair was a tinted blue black, short and spiked, and his face was long with high cheekbones and nice jawline. The outfit also looked like something out of the fashion line as well: a checkered monochrome scarf over his grey waistcoat vest, a blue dress shirt underneath with the sleeves rolled at the elbows, tucked in black capris and black combat boots. A gray flat cap was scrunched up in his right hand, and the watch was also on the wrist.

He met Auruka's eye and gave a cheeky grin. "Hi there Micho-chan and Amaya-chan, nice to meet you guys, er girls. I'm Kurosawa Kousuke and I'm known as the Super High School Level Tattoo Artist. Again, nice to meet you."

**Kousuke Kurosawa- Super High School Level Tattoo Artist **

"Uh, nice to meet you too." "It's nice to meet you."

He nodded at the girls. "But are you really telling the truth, Beckett-kun? Are you really from England? What's it like, how's the food, because I heard some things about it."

Before the Escapist could answer Kousuke's questions, the shrill of static ran through the warehouse; a few students didn't appreciate covering their ears. Auruka looked to the other groups, while trying to find the source of the noise.

Suddenly a voice rang throughout. "Aah. Aah. Mic test. Mic test. Can everyone hear me clearly?" Auruka recognized it as the voice from the elevator.

"Okay then, I'll take your various cries of pain as a yes. Now it appears that everyone is accounted for and have at least introduce themselves to one another. That means it's time to begin our event, so could you all direct yourselves and please get into a group then." The feedback ended.

Seeing as there wasn't really anything they could do, they followed the voices orders; Hanako held onto Auruka's hand for encouragement, but she was still smiling, possibly to remain calm. Everyone else looked confused, apprehensive, or slightly alarmed. Maybe it would be a good idea to follow Hanako's example. When the group had settled is when the voice spoke again.

"Alright then, I see that everyone is accounted for, so may you please direct your attention to me if you will."

"And where are we supposed to look towards?" asked Akihisa, standing next to Auruka.

The sound of something heavy hitting the floor alerted the group.

"Look!" Sora was the first to spot it, a bright green toy on the floor a few feet away from them.

"What, what is that?" asked Jude.

"It… it looks like a stuffed toy." Amane answered.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong! I'm not a stuffed toy, I'm a squeezable and lovable kitty cat!"

The voice rang out again, but what was troubling was the fact it came from the toy.

"What, what the Hell?" The Defense Attorney definitely had no idea what was going on, and she and a few other screamed in alarm as the toy began picking itself up, brushing it little legs with its hands (paws?). It couldn't be higher than to Auruka's waist, a stuffed cat toy with round head and pointed ears, the left half white and the right have lime green; the left eye beady and black with the signature cat grin and pink nose, the right with a large white button eye, a sharp toothed smile, and bended ear. It had a white belly, but the bottom half was covered with a green and white striped short skirt around the waist. It started moving and stretching its stubby arms and legs while the group stood dumbstruck.

"Ah, leaping to your doom is the best way to greet others. Oh but where are my manners?" It turned to the slightly terrified students.

"Good morning dear lovelies! I'm Mononeko, you're supervisor for this glorious field trip. I'm in charge of what I call the School Life Field Trip of Mutual Friendship."


	4. The City Life of Mutual Friendship 0-3

**PM7-Welcome back everyone, I'm Paradox Mind 7 and I will begin with how excited we are! **

**DH13-Yup, yup! Me and big bro are ready for this chapter, so we hope you enjoy life itself here. I'm sprouting gibberish nonsense already, but I'll stop now.**

**PM7-And remember everyone, we want to know how we treat your characters, so review, review, review! Also, we will be sending a special message to everyone as soon as we can to everyone who submitted a character. So you should expect this as soon as possible; just a little more info we need to have everything perfect. And an author note below…**

**Also to everyone who submitted or a fan, please review. I don't know why, but every time we see a review we get all giddy and crap.**

* * *

"I'm Mononeko, your supervisor for this glorious field trip. I'm in charge of your wellbeing on this _glorious _Field Trip of Mutual Friendship."

Confusion was a contagion on the student's faces as they stared back at the living stuffed cat, their _supervisor_, and it's (her?) claim. A field trip? None of the students had any idea what it was talking about, and they all had something to say about this.

"Uh, you guys are seeing what I'm seeing right? Right?" asked Auruka.

"I don't really _see _anything, but I definitely heard it…" replied Yoshi.

"Oy, oy! This is no time for sad jokes!" Exclaimed Diana, who then turned over to Auruka. "And if you're talking about the talkin cat doll, then yes! I freakin see it!"

"This… this is a dream, right? No way a cat can talk, right?" Kaishi seemed to be the most spooked as he muttered those words.

"Everyone stay calm! This is not a drill," Hanako exlaimed, seeming greatly tense over the doll's claims and her classmates fears. "It's obvious we're dealing with a possession! I need everyone to get back as I exorcise the demons!" Hanako began to chant under her breath, clasping her hands together, as she walked over to the doll; it started backing away and started waving its paws.

"Oh, please no! I'm afraid all of you are confused!" That seemed to do the trick as everyone stopped their squandering; confusion was something they all seemed to have. "So let me explain it to you little kittens, with a redo of my introduction." The cat bowed to the group and began with, "As I have said before, I am Mononeko, your supervisor for this field trip. And before any of you start interrupting, yes, I said _'field trip'_. This is a field trip specifically for the 82nd class of Hope's Peak Academy, i.e. you guys."

"Wait a second, why exactly are we-"

"Please Auruka-chan, wait until after the end to ask any questions. And a reminder to everyone else." She paused, before, what appeared to be, glaring at the group. "Please. Don't. Interrupt me. At. All. Or I'll have to let you have a taste of my Kitty Claws!" Lifting her paw up, four sharp claws sheathed out, and all questions and concerns bubbling in the student's throats died down. Unsheathing and walking closer to the students, a squeak heard for every step, Mononeko continued. "Nyow, you students must be wondering to yourselves, _'If this is a field trip, then why are we stuck in this litter box of a room?' _Well, that's because I have yet to do this." At that moment, Mononeko produced a small remote out of thin air and pressed the button.

Everyone in the concrete room waited, and waited… and waited…

Mononeko, looked down at her remote and rapidly began pushing the button. "Damn." She muttered. "Are the batteries dead or something?"

The students could only stare, deadpan evident, until a- _beep_\- was heard.

"There we go!"

In less than a second, a deep rumbling was heard, followed with what could be described as the sound of machinery echoing through the room. The sound then seemed to focus on one area- the wall behind Mononeko. The wall started rumbling, and a bright line appeared across the middle of the wall. The students stared, dumbfounded, as the wall slid apart slowly, the bright light increasing as well; Mononeko just stood in front of it all. Many of the students, save one, covered their eyes from the glaring light. As the rumbling stopped, Auruka was the first to try to open her eyes, wondering what the light was.

As her eyes adjusted to the light, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"I would like to welcome all of you Hopeful students to your field trip!"

In front of the students was a cobblestone road, a brownstone building on both sides of the road, and streetlamps doting along the sides. The buildings looked to have two floors, windows doting on top and bottom every few feet. The view, plus the glaring sunlight, grabbed the student's attention as they walked towards the exit, seemingly ignoring Mononeko.

The view seemed something out of a more favorable time: the cobblestones were worn down with age, vines were climbing around parts of the brownstone's walls, and the sun was shining in a clear blue sky. A slight breeze blew past, a few leaves caught up in it. It was all breathtaking that none of the students could believe it.

"Amazing! This place looks amazing!" said Hanako, turning back to look at the others. "Hey guys, have you ever seen such a beautiful place?"

"I wouldn't say I have Amaya-chan." Akihisa looked around before continuing. "But I must admit, it does look nice." A few comments of agreements followed.

"Of course it's nice. After all, this is a field trip hosted by Hope's Peak. Why shouldn't it be?" Mononeko walked between the student's knees until she was in front of them.

A hand was raised from the group, followed by a drawl, dull voice. "You keep saying field trip, but I'm confused. Why exactly are we on a field trip?" Mandy's question had hit the mark, and she pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. "I mean shouldn't we be at Hope's Peak? This is the beginning of the school year, and I would like to be in school right now."

"Really Dimuc-chan? School?" Isamu seemed disgusted from that word. "Just because your title's Brainiac doesn't mean you should live the stereotype."

"St-stereotype!?"

Diana was quick to say, "Oh! And that's a strike one for Minobe-kun! Check it out ladies and gentlemen, this boy can stick a whole foot in his mouth."

"How does Minobe have a foot in his mouth? I see that his legs are not bended and are touching the floor." Diana and a few others sweat dropped at Miki's oddly serious question.

"But even so," Mandy continued, a hint of irritation on her face, "why would an elite school take its newest class on some field trip by abducting us? Remember? None of us recall ever preparing for a field trip or whatever. And to add in the mix, we all have on these," Mandy then lifted her right wrist and pointed to the watch. "Strapped to our wrist. Can you please explain this?"

Jude started to scratch his chin and looked to be in deep thought. "She has a point… I don't even recall ever going to Hope's Peak. Heck, I don't even remember coming to Japan!" His revelation seemed to strike hard on the other three non-Japanese students, Diana's joking expression froze and melted, each looking a bit surprised. "All I remember is being in an airport… I walked through the terminal, and then… nothing."

"Eh?! W-wait… that's… just like me." Diana looked frightened and held up her arms in a defense position. "Wha… What the Hell's going on?"

"Oy, cat! What's the meaning of this?! Why can't we remember anything?!" Nathaniel stared down at Mononeko in fury, his face scrunched up and looking furious. A few of the students scrambled away, Kousuke muttering "Scary…" to himself.

"H-hey, we shouldn't… we have to stay calm…" Yoshi, possibly following her voice, reached for Diana and, fumbling a bit, grasped her hands in hers. "We have to remain calm, all right?" Diana looked at him and started to calm down a bit, taking a few breaths of air.

"Thank you."

"And thank you Yoshi-kun! You all need to stay calm." Mononeko waved her paws, drawing the student's attention. "The reason you guys have no recollection of much is because of simple reasons."

At her pause, Isamu asked, "Well, what is it?"

"The reason… will be explained at the end of the tour!"

…

The silence that followed, plus the lone breeze was easily the only way the students could reply to that revelation.

"Nyow then, we should begin the tour or else we'll never get anywhere. Follow me everyone! And please do not talk loudly, my ears are really sensitive." Mononeko proceeded to walk ahead, but the students had yet to actually follow her. She noticed and craned her head to look back. "Well hurry up! If you want your questions answered, then you must partake in the tour. Come on, come on!"

"Um, should we follow it?" asked Auruka, looking at the others faces.

Amane's emotionless voice startled a few. "Seems to be the only way of getting any answers." And she moved past a few students in front of her before following Mononeko.

Seeing as they had no choice, the students complied the cat's wishes and followed after her, but their concerns and questions were voiced with the others around them. Auruka managed to end up in the back, Hanako and Kousuke joining her, all walking at a slower pace. Auruka had noticed prior that Yoshi was holding hands with Miki, mist likely being led.

Auruka was concerned for Hanako's behavior, as seen with her behavior with Mononeko, and asked, "Hey, Amaya-chan, are you alright? You seemed… a bit jumpy back there."

"Oh…" Amaya started to blush and the question. "Y-yeah, I'm okay." She paused before saying, "I'm sorry for acting like that back there, blame the spirits." She swirled her index fingers near the temple of the head, as if to emphasize a point, and gave Auruka a weak smile. "Just a bit… startled… about all of _this_."

Auruka could understand; waking up disoriented in a giant building, no recollection on how they ended up here, and told that they were on a 'field trip' by a stuffed toy, who called herself their supervisor. It was a bit too much to handle all at once.

"But you know," said Kousuke, looking up at the clear sky, "We probably shouldn't be that worried, right?" The girls could only stare at Kousuke in confusion as he tried to explain. "What I mean is, well, since this is a field trip, maybe we should just enjoy it." He scratched at his cheek as if in thought. "I mean the memory thing is a bit sketchy, but hey, nothing that bad happened."

Hanako eyes began to sparkle in adoration at what Kurosawa had said; she stepped ahead, startling Maiyuri and Sora who were ahead the trio, and looked straight up at Kousuke, grabbing his hands and cradling like before with Mandy. "That's so inspirational Kurosawa-kun! That's exactly the kind of thought I had when we first woke up! So now I'm even more convinced!" Kousuke could only stare down confused at Hanako's declaration.

Before Kousuke or Auruka could reply at Hanako's statement, Mononeko's voice rang out, catching their attention.

"Attention students, attention! Please direct your attention to me." Looking ahead and past heads, the trio noticed that the wall of buildings had ended, leading to an open area, with Mononeko standing directly in the center at where they ended. And there they saw it.

"It's..." muttered Sora. "Beautiful."

Directly in front of them, a few feet ahead, was a large, ornate water fountain. A silver pool as a base, decorated with various cement flowers, each spouting water streams across one another. In the center was a bronze pedestal and kneeling on it was the ten foot high statue of a silver, elegant woman in robes, lifting up a golden cornucopia upwards, jets of water bursting out and splaying over the fountain. The mist from the fountain had already touched a few of the student's faces up front.

"Forgive me, but what are we supposed to see?" asked Yomohiro, looking up at Miki.

"What we are observing, Yomohiro," said Miki, "is a large fountain. Shall I describe it to you?"

With Yomohiro replying with a "Yes, thank you Miss Okazaki, I would appreciate it." And Miki proceeding to describe to Yoshi the fountain, a few students continued to gaze at the fountain, while Auruka and others directed their attention back to Mononeko.

"This my dear students," began Mononeko. "Is the statue of a beautiful goddess, who brought a truly important matter of living to the world. And it's said that now, she is held captive in a prison, never to be released." That somber piece of information seemed to snap a few out of their daze of the fountain.

"Nyow my students, look to the left and right of you, these buildings," Mononeko pointed at the left and right, the brownstones the group had noticed prior. "Are to be your room of accommodations for this trip. Boys on the left and girls to the right, and the doors to your rooms are on the other side." A few of the students looked surprised, others not really interested, and a few yet to comprehend everything. "But, you won't get a chance to see yet. Come, come!" Mononeko resumed her walking, leaving the students a bit disheartened to not get a chance to have a rest.

Continuing to follow the little neon cat, the students walked around the large, ornate fountain, feeling the mist swallow their bodies. Auruka looked back to see what would be her home for the 'field trip' and noticed something odd. Farther away from the dead end were tall black fences. Looking back in front of her, Auruka was greeted with a new addition.

"Wow, wow, wow! This is amazing!" yelled Keiichi, clutching onto his bag strap.

"Oh yeah, this is something I dreamed of being on!" exclaimed Diana, eyes twinkling.

Across the fountain was a large, rectangular, wooden stage, silver poles were placed at the corners of the stage and various brightly colored streamers connected them to one another. The surface of the stage was painted a bright blue, streaks of pink and yellow splayed across. A few students had took notice the under the stage, save for Miki who was explaining in her monotone manner what the other students were seeing to Yoshi, the cobblestone had different colored paths, a dark red, that went off to various directions. Auruka tried to look to where the paths went and noticed more buildings farther away, the direction of the path twisting away from her view.

But what Auruka then took notice of was that behind the stage was what appeared to be a gazebo, the rails and steps a pristine white, the support beams an ivory black, and the roof looked to be stylized like a circus big top with a black and white pattern.

"This is Numbers Square," said Mononeko, extending her arms out, directing to the plaza. "The center of this city actually. And the main hub for all wonderful and exciting moments of happiness here!"

Auruka raised her hand, curious about the gazebo, and asked, "Hey, what exactly is-"

"Ah ah ah, Auruka-chan, I said no questions."

"But I just-"

"Come students," ignoring Auruka entirely, Mononeko continued on ahead past the stage, until someone made her stop.

"Umm… excuse me. Ms. Mononeko?" said Kanade, a bit timidly.

Mononeko turned back to look at Kanade, and a few others glanced as well, causing Kanade to shrink back a bit, especially when Mononeko huffed. "Maiyuri-chan, I thought I said to ask questions when the tour is over. Why are you doing so now?"

"Well, I know, but… I just want to ask…" She looked down at her feet before continuing. "You said that this is a city, right? A 'City Life of Mutual Friendship' if I recall?"

"Yeah," asked Mononeko, sounding a bit peeved. "What's your point?"

"W-well, it's j-just that…" Maiyuri looked to be struggling with her words. "I've…noticed that there's a lack of… others."

"Finally," said Mandy in relief. "Someone else has taken notice. Ms. Mononeko, you had said this was a city, right? And we have seen collected proof to back up your claim. But, from what Kanade and I seem to have took notice of is a matter that truly does raise alarm for us.

"There are no people anywhere. This entire city seems to be abandoned."

At that moment, as Mandy boldly voiced the truth, Auruka felt something; something deep in her chest that ached. Her eyes widened as she felt it, like a piece of pure ice that settled in her stomach, growing larger and feeling heavy. Auruka had nothing to describe this feeling. She looked at the others and noticed that they all had faces of concern and fear in various levels. It was all too much.

"Now, now, dear Mandy-chan, what did I just say about questions?" Despite her stitched mouth, one could probably tell Mononeko was scowling.

"It wasn't a question, just a simple statement." Rebuked Mandy, a small smile evident. "Now, please. If you would kindly answer some questions, I'm sure that myself and the students would follow you along and continue this charade."

"Wha… What charade!?" exclaimed the green cat, her skirt appearing to ruffle itself. She turned away from the students, holding her right arm out to her face, mimicking the sound of crying. "I'm just trying to introduce you kids to a wonderful weeklong field trip. That's all! And what do you do, but complain and ask unnecessary questions that are simply childish. Teenagers are so mean!"

Auruka had noticed what Mononeko had said and wished to see if what it said was correct. "Wait! Did you say _'weeklong'_? Is that what these watches are for?"

The cat faced the students and they were surprised to see tears leaking out from the buttons. "Of course Auruka-chan, what did you think they were for? The watches are just a means of reminding you guys how much time you have left. The field trip we planned is only for seven days."

Akihisa spoke up. "Then why did you strap them to our wrists? We can't even get them off!"

Mononeko sniffles and rubbed at her buttons. "We just thought it would be easier. So you would always know and never lose them. I expected thanks, but all I got was kids being big meanies!" She then let out a loud wail before covering her face and continuing to cry.

A few students just stared at the sobbing plush toy, feeling a tad ashamed at bringing a toy to tears. But a few students didn't look satisfied at the least.

"Who else is in on this?" said Amane, in an almost aggressive tone towards Mononeko.

"Wha? On what? And didn't I say no more-"

"Don't play dumb with her." Barked Nathaniel. "You said 'we'. Which means that you aren't alone in this whole thing. You also said that you're _one _of our supervisors. So tell me, who else is in on this, cat?"

"Yeah, you definitely said that." Recovering from the tidbit of shame, Isamu managed to speak up. "So come on cat, tell us. Who else is in this? Why are we here?"

"I told you," the cat said. "It's a field trip by Hope's Peak that-"

"But I've never heard of that." said Sora as she held the tip of her index finger to her lip. "I know a lot about Hope's Peak and their students, but I've never heard of any field trips. No one online ever mentioned anything like that."

"We-well that's be-because…" Mononeko stuttered. "It's a secret initiation! Yeah, an initiation!" No one seemed satisfied with a response like that, and cries of questioning and demands of answers rose up.

"Hey, hey, hey! What kinda answer is that Mononekocchi!?"

"Please, give us a reasonable explanation!"

"Come on, I want to know what's going on!"

"Tell us know or I'll skin you alive!"

"Why can't we remember anything!?"

"_All right that's enough! Everyone shut up!_"

Mononeko's outburst had startled everyone, silencing all cries of noise; the bubbling and hiss of the water fountain destroyed the silence. The students could only stare at the cat, who huffed as if she was out of breath.

Isamu's voice managed to come up. "Um, Mononeko? Are you-"

"_I said no questions! Nooooooooooooo questions!"_

Jumping a bit from the cat, Isamu scrambled away, getting behind Diana and Miki, putting them up as a human shield. Mandy and Amane staring at him with a hint of disappointment. Meanwhile, Mononeko just scratching at her head in a fury, muttering angrily, before stomping her right foot with a prominent _squeak!_ The entire ordeal looked a bit disturbing because her button eyes could not show emotion and her voice could.

"_All right, you know what fine! I'm done, I'm done with everything! I. Am. Done. You all want answers? Then figure it out yourselves! I'm tired of helping out you bastards!"_

"H-hey, what are you talking about?" asked Diana in a concerned tone. "What do you mean you're done?"

"_I said what I said!" _Mononeko's voice seemed to reverberate, even though they were in an open area, and she started shaking her arms up. _"You want answers? Fine! Then look for them yourself! That's what I mean!" _Mononeko started huffing, taking a breath after her little… tantrum. She then turned away from the students and started a brisk walk away, not even expecting any of them to follow.

"Hey, wait!" yelled Auruka. "Where are you going?"

"Somewhere that teenagers won't bother me! And by that I mean a liquor store!" Mononeko then climbed up the stage and stood on the middle before a _Creak _was heard. The floor beneath her seemed to be an elevator as she sank down, not even looking back at her students. A few of the guys, Kaishi and Keiichi, didn't accept it, as they ran over to the departing cat, Kaishi yelling at the cat to stop. But by the time they reached the center stage, the floor looked to be completely fine with no evidence of a hatch or opening. Auruka just looked at the two boys, as they tried stomping on where the saw Mononeko, while the others started talking behind her.

Mandy's smug sounding, "Well, that went well, now don't you agree everyone?" caught Auruka and the others attention.

"Huh? What do you mean?" asked Kaishi, scratching his head and looking back at the smiling Brainiac, her arms crossed.

"It's simple. I allowed us to have a chance to explore our surroundings without that insufferable child's plaything. Really, I didn't expect an outburst like that, but beggars can't be choosers." Giggling to herself, it took Auruka a second to catch on what Mandy did, while a few others still were puzzled.

"I get it." Auruka said. "You just wanted the cat gone, so we could explore without it, right?"

Mandy's smile seemed to grow as she looked at Auruka like she wished to praise her. "You're precisely correct Micho-san. If we could dispose of the cat, then we would have access to this city and get a better understanding of where we are. That's why I wanted to get her angry, and I can say that everyone performed exactly as planned."

"Planned?" Akihisa looked a bit vexed at Mandy's wording. "What makes you think you had everything planned? You couldn't expect all of this to happen, could you?"

Mandy raised her hands and smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry Futonomi-san, and I just meant it as… a compliment at best. What I mean is, I deduced that everyone would panic and corner Mononeko if I pointed out obvious and disturbing facts about our environment." She walked ahead of the group, to their confusion, and turned back to them, save for Keiichi and Kaishi, with a bright smile. "So now, we can finally get to the bottom of this. I suggest that we split into groups and explore-"

_Bing Bong Bing Bong~_

'_Ahem, Mic test, Mic test, 1, _

The voice was similar to Mononeko, but somehow different, and it echoed throughout the open plaza. It sounded cheerful, like Mononeko, but there was a sinister feeling it left, that chilled a few students to the very core. A few wondered how it was able to carry through, until Nathaniel noticed and pointed it out.

Looking at the decorative poles, at the very top was a tiny speaker, which almost looked like a teddy bear, with their mouths open: two were a basic white design, and the other two were black with sinister red eyes.

'_It has come to my attention that students are behaving quite offensive to their supervisor. Now while I love having a cat tortured more than the next guy, I cannot have anyone tearing down my precious city.'_

_His city? _Auruka couldn't understand exactly what it meant by that. But before she could focus on it, she heard dual yells. Looking over, she saw Kaishi on the floor near the stage and Keiichi scrambling to get down. A rumbling, different from when Mononeko left started at the stage.

The elevator must have opened up again, because a podium, usually seen in an auditorium meeting was rising up. But what caught everyone's attention was who was on the podium: a black and white teddy bear, similar in appearance to Mononeko, but the sinister grin and jagged red eye on the black side was something different. It stood with its arms on its hips and seemed to look down on the students.

Mononeko was actually behind the bear, her paws on his shoulder. Auruka had noticed that the bear was a few centimeters taller than the cat.

"Well hello, hello my little bastards! It's so nice to meet you. I'm Monokuma, your supervisor and principle of this glorious new year!"

* * *

**Ehehe, the long wait was worth it? Sorry guys, but we've just been busy, we are two personalities with too much on our plates. Vet we are not abandoning the story! Nononononononon! And I forgot one 'o'. But we will have this story finished or our names aren't [Disclosed due to Legal Matters].**

**Review or subscribe, just do it for the peer pressure! Join the cult, sacrifice your feels, go down with the ship, and remember… we love all you guys, don't fight over us. (:**


	5. The City Life of Mutual Friendship 0-4

**You guys deserve this, and we're sorry.**

**Screw that, I didn't like the last review! Honestly I get it was over forty days, but still.**

**Well… we kinda were slacking, what with school and all, but anyway we want to thank KomoriRin for the artwork of Kousuke Kurosawa, the SHSL Tattoo Artist! Check their tumbler username: raindance96**

**Anyway, on with what happened last time.**

* * *

There were a lot of weird moments in Auruka's life: the week her little brother decided to be a bird when he was ten, the time she wanted to eat nothing but fried leeks because she heard it would make her body more 'developed', and who could forget the time she was the defendant for a suspect convicted for felony at the age of twelve, all because she got lost looking for the bathroom at the courthouse. But this just took the cake.

Mononeko, a stuffed cat that was the so-called 'supervisor' for a field trip that the pinkette had no memory agreeing to, was behind Monokuma, a stuffed _bear _who also was their supervisor for the field trip, on a podium that _magically _sprouted out of the stage in a city that had no people around whatsoever, looking down on the Defense Attorney and fifteen other SHSL talents.

…Yep, this was definitely the tip top of the cake.

"Oh big brother!" wailed the cat, burying her face in the bear's shoulder. "I just don't know how you do this every school year! These kids were really mean to me, asking all kinds of questions, calling me a fraud, and saying my skirt makes me look fat!"

"Huh?! When did we ever say anything about your skirt?" Exclaimed Nathaniel, looking more pissed than before. "And who the Hell are-"

"_Shut up you bastard!"_

Although Monokuma's voice was similar to Mononeko's, albeit a less high pitch, the way it yelled sent immense chills to Auruka's spine, and silenced Nathaniel near outburst. Looking around the silenced group, the bear cleared its throat before continuing.

"Upupupu~ Now that we've all calmed down, let's get proper introductions started. You all have met my _adorkable _little sister Mononeko, but none have yet to truly be introduced to an actual someone have you?" Ignoring Mononeko's protest of 'Hey I am somebody!' he continued. "I am Monokuma, as I said before, you're other supervisor, principal, and founder of this 'City Life of Mutual _Killing_'!"

Silence followed for a brief moment before Kousuke said calmly, "Ok, ok, I think I get it." It took him less than a second before the tattoo artist screamed out _"Mutual Killing!?"_followed by other screams of fear and confusion.

"That's right! Upupupu~ I never was a stickler for that 'friendship' crap, so I changing things around here. Or I would have if this was a 'City Life of Mutual Friendship'. Isn't that right, sis?"

Noticing that the cat had quit its fake tears and no longer digging into Monokuma's shoulder, Auruka could only stare helpless as Mononeko began a small, half- crazed laugh, similar to Monokuma's.

"Nyahaha… Nyahahaha~ that's right big bro Monokuma!" Her voice reached a similar volume to Monokuma, and the students no longer saw the stuffed toy that acted like an ally. She wrapped her paws around Monokuma in a makeshift hug."I'm glad you got here quick, I didn't know what I was gonna do without you." Mononeko's voice sounded needy and childish."I had to act… kind around these little bastards." The cat shuddered and looked close to gagging (at least in Auruka's mindset), as if being nice was a sickly disease.

Monokuma patted Mononeko's head, a squeak accompanying each pat, before saying, "Oh my poor little sister, don't worry. Big bro Monokuma will take care of spreading the despair."

"Spreading the despair? The Hell's that?" Akihisa looked a mixture of confused and angry. "And what do you mean with 'Mutual Killing'?"

"Explain yourself Bear! What's going on?" Barked Jude. "What is going on here?"

"Ok, ok. Don't get your panties in a twist! Or do you guys call them 'knickers'?Anyway, before we start, let's all take a bow in front of your supervisors." Monokuma bowed in front of his students, followed by Mononeko. No one wished to follow the example.

"Good morning students!" said Mononeko in a cheerful manner, as if her short bouts of near insanity never happened. "I am Mononeko and this is my super big brother Monokuma, the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy!"

"Headmaster? How is that-"

"As the headmaster and supervisor of my students," Monokuma begin, interrupting the Kaishi. "It is my up most duty to continue the grand tradition involving the class of Hope's Peak Academy, where the hope of the future, you guys, are pitted in the lowest pits of despair!" His glare on the students was amplified by the glow of the red jagged eye.

"And what better way than trapping you all here?!"

Auruka had felt all the hope in her heart crash and burn as the bear uttered those words, and he began to laugh with Mononeko following. To the Defense Attorney, it felt like the temperature had dropped ten degrees, yet she herself felt sweat forming.

Keiichi looked terrified, as evident by the shaking of his arms. "Are… are you serious? This… this isn't some prank?"

"Of course it's a prank," Hanako half yelled before giving a slight nervous laugh. "It's all just one big _'gotcha' _prank. The senpai are just probably playing one big joke on us for a big scare or something! That's all it is!" She was near tears and Auruka wanted nothing more than comfort her.

"Oh really?" asked Mononeko, "If this was just some prank, then tell us Hanako-chan, how would Hope's Peak have the power to do this? How could Hope's Peak easily capture and secure its new class for the year and place them in this empty city? How come you don't remember anything at all?" The silly sounding voice of the stuffed cat sounded mire and mire empty as it continued. "Do you even know what day it is? Do you even know where you are? In fact, can you even check what time it is?"

Auruka instantly reached into her skirt pocket for the cellphone, but was met with emptiness; the dark pit in her chest felt deeper and colder. The Defense Attorney heard the cries and panic and worry as everyone else searched their clothes for any trace of their electronics. But it was no use, no one had their cellphone, their PDA, smartphone, nothing. Just the watches. The watch that Auruka hoped was just a simple watch...

…but Monokuma disproved that theory.

"Yep, yep. All of you should now realize this isn't a game. But if you're not convinced yet… then take a look over here!"

In his waving paw was another watch, the same monochrome design- that reminded Auruka of the bear- and the flashing number. But instead of the green seven, it was a red zero and it flashed rapidly.

"Now dear Mononeko, would you like to do something for your big brother?"

Of course big bro," she cheerfully replied. "What would you like me to do?"

"I want to play '_Blast Off!' _ with you, but I want you to wear this watch," he strapped it to her right paw, the number flashing even faster. "While we play. Ready?"

With a "Ready!" the students could only stare in uneasiness as Monokuma picked up Mononeko and started throwing her up and catching her, like what an older sibling would do with child, but it looked less and less cute as the throws started going higher and higher, the glow of the watch intensifying, until finally…

"_Here we go!"_

Reminiscent to an anime she watched long ago, Auruka could stare in horror as when Mononeko started coming down, the bear started swinging his paw, before slamming it into the cat's chest. Mononeko shot up like a rocket and the watch's glow was immense as she herself looked like a blazing comet.

They could briefly hear Mononeko yell out "_I'm flying!_" before the large explosion.

Auruka's reaction was covering her face with her arms from the bits of fluff that started raining down as the aftermath, but she couldn't say the same to the others. The following screams and gasps was truly despair inducing.

"Wha-wha-wha-wha-wha-what the Hell!? What the Hell just happened!?" screamed Isamu, sweating bullets. "Did we seriously see that?!"

"Y-yeah. I definitely heard the explosion… but what was it?"

Yoshi's question hung in the air for a second, before frantic grunts and pleas for help filled Auruka's ears.

But she didn't care, not at all. Like everyone who saw the grisly example, she took one look at the watch strapped to her wrist, before she began clawing at it and trying to pry the possible explosive from her person. It wouldn't budge, only moving less than an inch from her wrist. It felt unnaturally tight, like it was constricting; the pinkette was scared, and she wasn't the only one terrified of the revelation.

"Get it off! _Get this fucking thing off of me!Damn it!_" Diana was clawing at her watch, long red lines from her nails surrounding her wrist, tears threatening to spill, before she let out in exhaust._"God damn it!"_

"It's not moving! Pull harder, just get the bloody thing off!" Keiichi and Jude were in an arm lock, both pulling on the other's watch, but it seemed that neither could do anything

"I'm trying Judecchi, it-just-won't-come-off!" he said with each pull on the watch.

Most of them kept trying with no result, until Amane had enough yelling in an authoritive tone. "All of you stop it! This isn't getting us anywhere! Let's all agree the watches are not coming off!" Seeing everyone had quieted down, the Spy straightened herself and let out a huff. "End of discussion."

"Upupupu~ Miss Amane's right, try all you like, but those watches won't come off. They're made of super elastic that's hard as diamonds. I call it Monokumanite, has a nice ring to it don't you think? But still, it's highly combustible; I mean did you see that explosion!? Wow!" The bear twirled in delight, and Auruka felt sick over how joyous the bear was. It just killed its sister, or friend, or whatever in the world Mononeko was; it didn't care, and Auruka was horrified.

"Everyone listen up! Let's escape!" At first Auruka wanted to look to who yelled, but soon realized that it was her; her own body willing itself to leave this horrendous dream-turned-reality. "Come on let's just run, let's find an exit!" Her voice held the same degree of power as when she was in court. "There's no way that bear can get us all if we split up!" And split up they did.

Everyone scattered in various directions, hoping to find a way to escape. Auruka had ran back the way she came, going around the fountain, and heading to the elevators that led her to this horrendous place. She heard Monokuma let out an "Upupupupu~" but she chose to ignore it, and focus on the sheer rush of adrenaline. It coursed her to keep moving and running and not break down.

Diana and Keiichi seemed to understand Auruka's idea, or were probably following her because they panicked. Either way, it was the three as they reached the open mouth of the alley, but there was something different; that looming black mesh fence was now the only thing in the way, its height that of at least nine feet.

"Crap, where'd this come from?" said Keiichi, slightly panting from the quick dash. "We're trapped!"

But Auruka wouldn't accept it, she wanted to escape. She _had to escape! _"I'm not going to let that stop me! Come on!" and she began clutching onto the fence and started to push herself up, desperate to escape this. She could see the dimly lit warehouse, the elevator that brought her here!

She needed to return to her home; her brothers, her mom and dad, her school, her normal life. Maybe it was the adrenaline or the fear, but something prevented her from feeling the slight shock as she climbed higher and higher, until finally…

_*Zap*_

"_M-michocchi!"_

XoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoX

On a few days, numbness was a feeling that Auruka was acquainted with; a defense attorney never had an easy life. Sometimes she just lost a case and someone had to be punished, and she learned how to numb the feeling, especially with the crying and pleading.

But this… this shouldn't be why she was feeling numb. There had to be a reason why she was feeling this way… _'Kurosaki-san would probably say sleep deprivation…' _she thought. '_She's always-'_

"Micho-san! Micho-san, can you hear me?"

The troubled sounding voice broke her out of her thoughts, prompting Auruka to collect her conscious thoughts, able to clear herself a bit, although that fleeting thought she had seemed to dissolve. With a bit of struggle, she managed to crack open her eyes a bit, only to be blinded by a sharp glare of fluorescent lights; they were soon blocked out by the frizzy head of Hanako Amaya.

"Thank the spirits that you're ok! How are you feeling, Micho-chan?" She was closer to Auruka's face as she cradled one of the pinkette's hands and relief on her face. The warmth of the hand was bringing feeling back to Auruka's body; some kind of healing technique that a Super High School Medium would know?

Her mouth felt dry like sandpaper, and when Auruka started licking her mouth to reclaim moisture, Hanako brought her other hand out of the Defense Attorney's sight, bringing back a glass of water.

"Thank you, Amaya-chan." She croaked, surprised at the sound of her voice before gulping down the entire glass. The water was cool and refreshing and easily washed away the taste that Auruka had noted in her mouth. Metal?

After finishing and handing the empty glass to Hanako, she took a breath before looking where she ended up this time. It looked a nurse's office, similar to the one at Auruka's old Junior High. White walls, a little desk in the corner across from her, the room couldn't really be that big. There was a medicine cabinet farther away and a mini fridge was next to it, a gentle hum following, and nearby was a window with the blinds down. The fluorescent lights were glaring down at Auruka and Hanako, and she noted that she was lying on top of a little bed over the sheets, another next to it and snuggled in the corner, with a little counter where the glass was and the chair that Hanako probably got from the desk. Behind her, a single door.

Auruka started scratching her scalp, trying to regain her bearings on what happened when she noticed the watch on her wrist, and she froze. The black and white watch that resembled Monokuma: the glowing and now blinking seven that brought her back to her senses. This was a bomb strapped to her wrist, an explosive that killed Mononeko, and her ticket in this City Life of Mutual…

"Killing…"

Auruka's whisper caught Hanako's attention. "Micho-san? What did you say?" She looked worried, especially considering her new friend's condition from a mere two hours ago. _But she's probably confused or maybe hungry, maybe both._

"Ne, Micho-san, do you remember what happened to you? You know after meeting Monokuma?" The Medium knew the answer already, but just wanted to make sure with the Defense Attorney. Considering what happened with her, everyone was worried. _Except maybe Kurosawa-kun; that boy abandoned all attention when Imayoshi-chan volunteered. _

She managed to giggle inwardly, as to not confuse Auruka. But Auruka looked deep in thought before replying, "No. Exactly what happened to me?" She groaned and started to rub and press down on her temple. "And why do I feel like I slammed my head on a wall?" Hanako knew now, that she had to be delicate on this subject.

"Well, everyone experiences being electrified differently. But you definitely are 95%, more or less, alright." She said in a slight cheerful manner. Nailed it!

Auruka accepted that with an "Ah, okay that makes sense."

She asked Hanako for another glass of water, who so graciously accepted. The brunette was about to take the glass form the little counter and leave, before Auruka grabbed at Hanako's hand, starling her. She brought her down to eye level and yelled out, "_Electrified?!_"

_Ah, I guess that didn't explain much…_

Gently prying her off and holding onto her hand, Hanako sat back down on the little chair, before she said "Yeah. You tried to climb that fence, remember? After you told everyone to try to escape and run… Actually everyone listened to your outburst." Hanako noticed that Auruka's cheeks had reddened a bit. "Anyway, you tried to climb up the fence, and then suddenly you were flying off!"

Noticing Auruka's eyes widening, Hanako started waving her hands and said, "Sorry, that was an exaggeration, but you did get zapped by the fence. Yoshikazu-kun and Valentine-chan screamed and got everyone's attention. We all rushed over to see what happened and saw you; thankfully, there were no injuries. But then Monokuma came and told us about the reason for the fence:

"_Upupupu~ I did say you guys were staying here forever, remember? So I had to put in to make sure that no one leaves, so I placed some 'security' around us. But be warned, this is just a lick of what happens if you touch them, and I'm putting these babies on the highest setting as of now! So yeah… this girl needs a doctor."_

"So he pointed us towards the Community Center, where we are right now, and we brought you into one of the medic rooms. After that the darn bear disappeared and we've been here ever since. It's only been like three or four hours, I don't know I've just been here with you."

'_Three to four hours? And she's been with me the whole time?' _Auruka felt touched by Hanako's kindness and wondered if maybe dealing with the supernatural made people more thoughtful to the living. Smiling at the Medium, Auruka had said, "Thank you for watching over me Amaya-chan."

"Oh, its problem Micho-san, but you can call me Hanako if you want to. I don't mind."

Hanako Amaya seemed to carry an infinite amount of those angelic smiles and Auruka responded with a smile of her own, not as graceful as Hanako, but still a sincere smile. "Alright and again thank you, Hanako-chan."

But before Hanako could reply back, possibly ask if she could use Auruka's first name, a knocking came from the door, before Amane Ikeda entered the room. "Ah, good you're awake. Are you feeling all right, Micho?" If Auruka just focused near the end of that sentence, she may have actually a hint of concern coming from Amane. Probably.

"Yeah," she replied in eager. "Just haven't taken the legs out for a spin. But I'm probably okay, right Hanako-chan?"

"Yeah, Monokuma just said that the shock would have knock you out at best. So you can probably walk to the cafeteria. You're hungry right?"

Auruka's stomach decided to answer that upfront; the low growling taking the Medium and Spy by surprise, before Hanako started giggling while Amane let out a _Hmph_. Auruka let out a short laugh while scratching her head, a little embarrassed at the authority her stomach had. Deciding to follow it, she began getting out of the bed, Hanako nearby to lend support, but Auruka felt fine enough not to require it. Her legs felt asleep, but a few steps had the blood flowing back and stopped the constant needle torture; she didn't collapse either, so that was a good sign. With Hanako and Amane behind her, maybe checking how she'll be in a minute or so, Auruka, in a confident posture, opened the door and entered into a gym.

She was a bit surprise that the medic room was connected to a workout room, but it did seem like a logical placement. But like the rest of the city, it was empty.

It was fairly large with various exercise equipment scattered around, pink mats underneath them, and lockers next to the door to the medic. The exit was a little glass door with a tinted glass wall and Auruka could see someone out there, the dull yellow color gave the pinkette a clue.

"What's Yoshikazu-kun doing?" she asked. "He looks…fidgety."

"Amaya wasn't the only one acting like a headless chicken with what happened to you," Hanako fidgeted a bit, while Amane continued. "Yoshikazu, Imayoshi, Beckett, Valentine, Yomohiro-when they weren't panicking- were rushing to help you. I didn't see the reason why though…" Noticing Auruka's immediate frown, Amane said, "What I meant was that you didn't suffer any burns and your pulse was fine. You weren't going to die, the only way you could die is if-"

"I-ikeda-san," Hanako stuttered, waving her arms and shaking her head in front of the two girls, reminding Auruka of a dog shaking its head dry after a bath. "Don't you think that Yoshikazu-kun is anxious to know how Micho-san's doing? I'm sure everyone's waiting and Auruka's probably hungry and Imayoshi's cooking is probably getting cold and-"

"Right of course." Auruka had to remind herself to thank Amane for interrupting Hanako, she could barely keep up with her fast pace chatter. But she was a bit curious on what the Spy was going to say, as the trio exited the door and Keiichi got up in front of Auruka. His strength seemed to spill out as he almost shook her like a rag doll.

"Michocchi! Are you okay, are you, are you!? When we saw that you want Zap after climbing the fence, everyone was all Gwahh and we Soracchi, the others and I didn't know what to do! Are you okay?" She could only cringe at the little nickname he gave her, before he started shaking her. "Are. You. Okay? Okay? Okay?" he said with each shake.

"Ju-u-u-u-u-ust pe-e-e-e-e-achy! Stop sha-a-a-a-a-a-aking me-e-e-e!" Realizing this, he stopped and released her, yelling (or cheering) "Sorry!" three times, but this didn't stop her falling back onto Amane and Hanako. They caught her, well, Amane did.

Shaking her head to clear things up, Auruka heard Hanako complain to Keiichi. "Yoshikazu-kun, you shouldn't shake people, no matter how worried you are. Micho-san could have gotten whiplash or something." Oh wow, she's just getting lucky on receiving injuries isn't she?

Blinking a bit, she looked at the hallway they walked into. It was actually pretty simple: cream colored walls, tiled floor, and the left went further along before taking a turn right. There was a faint aroma of something delicious and Auruka's stomach was caught. Ignoring the little banter between the Cheer Captain and Medium (Mostly it was Keiichi apologizing and Hanako reprimanding him), she walked towards the source of the smell, the only one who noticed her was Amane who started tailing along.

The smell was getting stronger, a mixture of spicy and fruity with a hint of meat. Auruka unconsciously licked her lips, behaving more like a bloodhound and soon heard a conversation going on. She was at the corner edge listening to them like a child would when they're curious. Was it the others, worried about her?

"Hey, stop eating Kurosawa, leave at least some scraps for us!"

"It's truly disturbing to see a young man stuff his cheeks like a chipmunk. Exactly where does that food go?"

"I'll bet you not to his head…"

The conversation started to drift toward Kurosawa saying, and pausing every few seconds, that he didn't see any brain food and that Akihisa was probably right, leading Auruka to sweat drop. Suddenly a push- Auruka would later learn it was Amane- had put her in the spotlight. The conversation stopped and the remaining students could only stare, and Auruka vice versa.

They were all standing or sitting around a long cafeteria table, a pile of food presented. Everyone was frozen, including Kousuke whose mouth was biting down on a piece of meat, and Sora who was just putting down a tray of jelly. They were right though, Kurosawa definitely looked like a chipmunk.

To break the silence, Auruka made a small wave and muttered, "Hey, what're you guys having?"

The first one to answer was Sora, who actually looked panicked at slammed down the tray of jelly on the table, startling everyone and causing Kousuke to start coughing and choking on the food in his mouth. "I'm sorry!" was all she said before she started running farther away from Auruka's line of sight.

"Ah, Imayoshi-chan, wait!" Kanade- she chose to stand than sit- went after her in a short sprint. The dual sound of a door being pushed followed.

It was probably a few second of awkward silence before Diana got up from her seat. "Well look at whose back from the dead! You had us all worried you know? But you look okay, right?" Auruka nodded and Diana grinned before saying, "Well come on, your plate's getting cold, and I don't think we can hold Kurosawa back any longer from inhaling it." As Auruka walked over to the others, she took notice on the area the students were eating in. It was a fairly large cafeteria, with tables scattered around, and a skylight above, the sky showing that the day was drawing close to night. Another hallway was on the other far end side of where she was. A diner counter was to the wall with twin doors leading to probably the kitchen. That must be where Sora and Kanade went.

Getting closer to the table, Akihisa spotted over to the seat besides his for Auruka.

"Thanks." She said.

"Whatever." He grunted. That confused her for a second, before she noticed that Amane chose to sit across from her; Hanako and Keiichi finally came, with Hanako looking proud of herself and Keiichi looking like a kicked puppy. Both stood rather than sit down.

"So," Auruka questioned. "What are we doing now?"

"We'll after the whole… you know," started Kaishi, "When the girls took you to the nursing room, we all kinda stayed her for a bit. Then Kurosawa-kun," he pointed his thumb at Kousuke, who continued eating. "Was getting hungry, so Imayoshi said she would fix everything up for us."

Auruka was surprised at that. Sora made all this food? "All by herself? Didn't you guys help her or something?"

Yoshi started to pick and twirl some of his bangs, while Miki stood still like a statue by his side. "Well, we tried to, but she said no. She said she wanted to make us a meal to take our mind off of today. But I understand why she would."

"She would rather focus on the meal than today." Jude looked rather dejected. "I can't say I blame her, considering our arrangement, or our countdown." Most of everyone's eyes rose at what the Escapist said and Isamu even put his hands over his mouth.

"_Shut up!"_ he hissed, as Jude struggled until he finally stopped when he saw the head tilt and confused look on Auruka's face.

"What's going on?" She asked, slightly worried. "What did you mean by 'countdown'?"

With a deep sigh Nathaniel, who barely touched anything on his plate, spoke up. "You know you're going to need to tell her. Even she'll figure it out eventually."

Auruka was about to say a few thing to Mr. Jerk Face, but the clatter of a plate in front of her caught her attention. Sora and Kanade had returned from the kitchen and Sora was giving Auruka some food. Teriyaki with a side of rice, topped with an egg flower top; this girl is the Super High School Level Pastry Chef? That was answered when a plate of coffee jelly was put down as well. But the food wouldn't distract her, what did Jude mean by a countdown?

Noticing she didn't give thanks or even move, Sora let out whimper. "You told her didn't you? Why did you tell her?"

"Tell me what?" No one would look at her and when they didn't answer, she rose her voice. "Tell me what?!" it startled Sora and Kanade, but they didn't answer.

"_Hey, what the Hell are you guys talking about?!"_

"Oh yes, please explain it nyow~ I would love to know."

The squeaky voice made everyone look towards the end of the table, causing some to cry out like they've seen a ghost. Which was kind of true.

Mononeko stood up on her seat, now being on equal level with her students, her button eyes seeming to peer deep into the children.

"Well? Are you gonna tell me? Kinda curious here."

"_Eyaaaaaahhh!" _The fearful cry rang through the cafeteria, causing Auruka and a few others to cringe or cover their ears. Isamu was under the table now… so she definitely had an idea on the culprit, but the fact that Mononeko was back after exploding into stuffing definitely was something to be shocked about.

"How, how are you alive?" asked Amane, who actually looked surprised. "The last time we saw you, Monokuma made you into a neko firework."

Mononeko looked puzzled. "Firework? Big bro, what does she mean?"

"Upupupu~ don't you remember? You volunteered to show the little bastards what happened if they let their timers reach zero." Just like the green and white cat, the black and white appeared as well, this time from under the table, as well as Isamu who crawled away from it. "Besides, you don't need to worry about that, cats have nine lives remember?"

"Wait a second, what did you say? Why would our timers reach zero?" Sadly it seemed Auruka would get her answers from her kidnappers. They stared at her dead on, and she started to regret opening her mouth.

"Oh Auruka-can, I'm so glad you're awake! Big bro and I were worried we would begin the game with one death so early!" Mononeko's cheerful comment sent immense chills in Auruka's spine, especially on the death part.

"Oh, it seems like your fellow students haven't told you the news." _What news? _"Well that's okay, I'll explain everything again." And before anyone could stop him or do anything, the lights started to dim, leaving everyone in the dark, while a single spotlight aimed at Monokuma, with his little sister clapping her paws.

"Now, you all know the watches are considered 'dangerous' to people, but you don't know when they will be 'dangerous' to you. But you see the little number on your watch." Auruka glanced down on the glowing seven. "That number means how many days are left before it goes Boom! So basically, you only have about a week to live."

Auruka just wanted this to be a dream. If not, then what?

"But there's actually a way to escape the countdown and leave this city. It's really easy."

Please, if God can hear her, then show her this was a dream. She just wanted to wake up.

"All you have to do is murder one of your classmates and get away with it! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy! That's where the 'Killing' in 'Mutual Killing' comes in on this field trip."

Let her wake in her bed because her little brother had decided to cook breakfast and her big brother wanted her help with putting out the fire.

"So, after murdering one of your friends, all you have to do is survive the class trial and- hey, are you sleeping on the job?"

Please… just let this… be a dream…

She didn't even realize how easily her body gave way. She didn't register pain, or the fact that the others pushed to her side. She just wanted this to be a dream…

* * *

**End Prologue**

**The City Life of Mutual Friendship**

**(Screw That)**

**The City Life of Mutual Killing**

* * *

**Finally! That took forever, ever, ever! I'm sleepy!**

**Hope we were able to keep character in check, to anyone who still cares about this story… Ehehe.**

**Remember very review makes us full of jelly and pickles!**

**Why pickles?**

**Because they're like warty little people you can find love with!**

…**What?**

**Just go with it!**

**Ok… anyway remember guys, we have to deal with school and graduating, so please be patient. Sorry for asking this of you guys. Also, you guys could make artwork of your characters if you want, we actually kind of want to see that. If that's ok.**


	6. Meet the Cast!

Name: Auruka Micho

Title: Defense Attorney

Birthday: June 8

Height: 5'4 (162.56 cm)

Weight: 156 lb. (70.76 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Short pink hair with a small ahoge sticking up, light blue eyes, and slightly tanned skin. Blue collared, long sleeved shirt, attorney badge clipped to collar, purple skirt down to knees, white socks, and black loafers.

Chapter 2: A white, short sleeved blouse with a loose red tie, a pair of black shorts and dark blue stockings, simple black boots and her badge clipped on her left breast.

Current Concern: The bit of hair that never seems to go down.

Name: Hanako Amaya

Title: Medium

Birthday: June 18

Height: 5'9 Ft (175.26 cm)

Weight: 145 lb. (65.77 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Long frizzy black hair that stops at her back, green eyes, has a few freckles on her cheeks, pale skin, wears her hair free. A white, almost clear veil on her head, a flowery lavender shirt, a long white skirt with a train, blue sandals, and 10 gold bracelets on both arms.

Current Concern: What is Auruka-chan's cup size?

Name: Keiichi Yoshikazu

Title: Cheer Captain

Birthday: July 28

Height: 6'3 feet (190.5 cm)

Weight: 188 Lb. (85.27 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Lightly tanned with startling golden eyes, red hair that's shaggy and unkempt. His outfit is a yellow track suit with the jacket unzipped, showing a white undershirt underneath, his track pant legs rolled up to the knees and black sneakers. He has a black bandana tied around his forehead with a crown symbol on it, and a silver whistle around his neck by a gold strap. He also has a large yellow duffel bag strapped to his back.

Chapter 2: He still wears his yellow track suit jacket, but is now unzipped and hanging only by his shoulders, a black tank top underneath and the whistle around his neck. His bandana is now tied to his right bicep. He is wearing black shorts with diamonds on the sides and white sneakers.

Current Concern: People seem to cover their ears when he talks.

Name: Akihisa Futonomi

Title: Swordsman

Birthday: May 13

Height: 5'10 feet (177.8 cm)

Weight: 142 Lb. (64.41 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Black hair, brown eyes, fair-skinned, hair is medium-lengthen and is styled so that the left side of his face is partially covered by bangs while the rest just rests however it is. He has a fairly slim body. Currently wearing a dark scarf and jacket, dark blue shirt underneath, dark jeans, and black sneakers.

Chapter 2: A dark blue dress shirt, unbuttoned and showing a gray shirt underneath, blue jeans with chains hanging by the belt loops, black wrists bands on both wrists, and black sneakers.

Current Concern: The kind of things that Sora- I mean his friends- may like.

Name: Mandy Dimuc

Title: Brainiac

Birthday: October 14

Height: 4'11 feet (149.86 cm)

Weight: 94.6 Lb. (42.9 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Frizzy Black hair Blue eyes and pale glasses. An ugly blouse with a sweater over it solid colored dress pants that go straight down with ugly flats.

Chapter 2: A gray blouse under a sleeveless tan sweater, a green and red plaid skirt, and white slip-ons. Her bangs are pushed back with a purple hair clip and she carries a small purple purse.

Current Concern: Everyone is too damn tall.

Name: Sora Imayoshi

Title: Pastry Chef

Birthday: January 2

Height: 5 feet (152.4 cm)

Weight: 111 Lb. (50.35 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: She has bright pink eyes and short curled blonde hair, wearing a pink blouse with a purple brooch and red ribbon attached to the front collar, a large, yellow, bell skirt with pink cloth splayed near the waist, making it look like a cupcake, knee high white socks, black Mary Jane flats, and a yellow crown on her hair, tied down under her chin with a red ribbon.

Chapter 2: A short-sleeved white blouse with black frills, a large black bow in front, and a brown skirt with a pink heart stitched to the left side. She has on black thigh-high boots, a small pink purse with a shoulder strap, and is wearing her yellow crown on her head.

Current Concern: Is there a chance that she may accidently flash at someone and then they see her embarrassingly pink panties and laugh at her and tell everyone about it and make her wear them on her head and- (cut for length)

Name: Isamu Minobe

Title: Good Luck

Birthday: July 8

Height: 5'5 feet (165 cm)

Weight: 147.71 Lb. (67 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Nicely styled dyed Blonde hair, too fake to be real blue eyes, slightly tanned and a long scar along his arm. Currently wearing a white and gold shirt with a leather jacket over it, jeans, and Nike shoes.

Chapter 2: A white t-shirt with a random English phrase in bright pink, a black jacket tied across from his left shoulder to his waist, blue jeans, brown belt, and black slip on shoes. His hair has started to lose his dye and his brown roots are beginning to show.

Current Concern: How to be a ladies man. And take a slap to the face.

Name: Kaishi Morita

Title: Water Polo Player

Birthday: April 18

Height: 6'6 feet (198.12 cm)

Weight: 240 lb. (108.86 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Kaishi has a very tan skin tone and sun bleached blond hair. His sharp dark eyes seem a little off putting. He has a muscular figure with broad shoulders from his time in the water. He has a shark tattoo on his left ankle, and a diamond stud piercing in his right ear. He's wearing a long sleeved, dark green athletic shirt, jean shorts, and grey sneakers.

Chapter 2: A white and blue striped tank top, khaki shorts, and brown sandals. He has a sliver necklace and a beaded anklet as well.

Current Concern: Trying to get through the day without dealing with the crazy people around him.

Name: Yoshi Yomohiro

Title: Storyteller

Birthday: December 17

Height: 5'6 feet (167.64 cm)

Weight: 79 Lb. (35.83 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: His hair color is white and his eyes are very light blue. He has pale white skin and his bangs are held by a pale purple clip. His hair is short. He wears a white polo shirt, pale purple pants, and black polo shoes with white socks. He has a light blue jacket tied around his waist.

Current Concern: If someone messed with his hair again.

Name: Miki Okazaki

Title: Seamstress

Birthday: August 31

Height: 6'3 feet (190.5 cm)

Weight: 157 Lb. (71.21 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Light pink, short cropped hair, with most put into two giant buns on the sides her head, gray eyes, and porcelain skin and a rather large bust. Her outfit is a short sleeved white blouse, light tan, knee-length skirt adorned with large buttons on the waist, white stockings, and brown slip-on shoes, all topped with a large, stitched together scarf around her neck.

Chapter 2: A long yellow sundress with a sunflower stitched to the waist side, small white socks and brown sandals, a pink handbag that housed her scarf, and multicolored bracelets on both arms. Her hair buns were made into one braided bun and a sunhat with a white ribbon tied around it.

Current Concern: Finding a suitable bra that will not be too tight.

Name: Kousuke Kurosawa

Title: Tattoo Artist

Birthday: October 13

Height: 6 Ft (182.88 cm)

Weight: 140 Lb. (63.5 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: He's thin with pale skin and sharp, neon light blue eyes. His hair is blue-black, short, and spiked. He has sort of a long face, with high cheekbones and a nice jawline. He has a black-and-white checkered scarf over his grey waistcoat-esque vest (it has a hood with a blue interior). Underneath that is a blue dress shirt, rolled up at the elbows, with a black tie (you can hardly see the tie under the scarf and vest). This are tucked into black capris with black combat boots worn on his feet. He has blue thick-framed reading glasses that he rarely wears and a gray flat cap.

Chapter 2: A black dress shirt with the right sleeve torn and the other with a red stitch pattern across the arm, black jeans with a red and white skull design on the legs, slightly torn on the knees, combat boots, and a loose white tie around his neck. His hair has been slicked back.

Current Concern: What he should have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner tomorrow.

Name: Amane Ikeda

Title: Spy

Birthday: August 29

Height: 5'4 feet (162.56 cm)

Weight: 110 Lb. (49.85 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Amane has short sandy blonde hair that falls a little past her chin with long side swept bangs that partially covers her left eye, which are deep blue. She has a slender figure with a tan complexion. She has a nose piercing on her right nostril, multiple ear piercings, and a tattoo of a raven on her left shoulder. Amane has a scar running starting slightly above her ear and running down the side of her face. She's currently wearing a leather jacket, black t-shirt and ripped jeans with combat boots with belt buckles.

Chapter 2: A small black leather jacket over a dark red shirt, black cargo pants, her own combat boots, a studded black belt, and a spiked collar around her neck. She also has an unknown watch on her other wrist.

Current Concern: Sora asking her to help her cook.

Name: Diana Valentine

Title: Street Performer

Birthday: March 22

Height: 5'5 feet (165 cm)

Weight: 120 Lb. (54.43 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Has tanned skin and calm brown eyes. Is a looker, with an ample, well developed chest for her age and curvy hips. Her hair is dyed a dark turquoise and is usually put up in a large, poofy ponytail aside from a few long pieces that hang down in front of her ears and go down to her mid chest. Current outfit is a red, show dress that ends at her thighs and black thigh highs with a swirling maroon pattern on them. She also has a pair of black sneakers on.

Chapter 2: A low cut white tank top, a small open black and white referee jacket, a short black ruffled skirt, white knee-high socks, white sneakers, and a baseball cap with her ponytail now poking out through the back.

Current Concern: Trying not to make a bad image for herself. That's how rumors start.

Name: Nathaniel Robinson

Title: Fencer

Birthday: May 27

Height: 6'1 feet (185.42 cm)

Weight: 197 Lb. (89.36 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: He had shaggy silver hair and cold light purple eyes that seem to glare down at others. He is wearing a white dress shirt under a black suit vest, dark blue jeans with the left leg rolled up halfway to his knee, white sneakers, and a black duffel bag strapped to his back.

Chapter 2: An unbuttoned gakuran jacket with a red sash on the right sleeve, a red t-shirt with _Spirit _written in Japanese, black jeans, and white slip-ons.

Current Concern: People seem to run when he tries to smile.

Name: Jude Beckett

Title: Escapist

Birthday: September 25

Height: 5'8 feet (172.72 cm)

Weight: 140 Lb. (63.5 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Dark black hair, green eyes, pale complexion. Hair is brushed to aside and almost cover left eye. Light tan double-breasted jacket over light gray turtle neck, black jeans, brown loafers.

Chapter 2: An Armani striped suit jacket and pants, with a gray hoodie under, and under that is a black t-shirt. He is wearing black dress shoes and a black flannel cap.

Current Concern: Trying to understand how Japanese customs work.

Name: Kanade Maiyuri

Title: Pianist

Birthday: June 4

Height: 5'2 feet (157.48 cm)

Weight: 115 Lb. (52.16 kg)

(Current) Physical Description: Kanade has light blue eyes, long black hair (up to her waist, half is tied up with a light pink ribbon) and a fair complexion. She wears a semi-formal white, sleeveless, knee length dress with a light pink ribbon pinned to the right side of it, silver ballet flats and a silver locket with flower engravings.

Chapter 2: A light green dress that reached to her thighs, a white line across the waist, and a long sleeved short pink jacket on top. A green flower brooch is over the jacket, her hair is still tied with the light pink ribbon, and she wears white sandals.

Current Concern: The perfect S-ranks for her friends, especially Imayoshi-san.


	7. Countdown to Despair 1-1

**Welcome back everyone! Both I and big bro are excited to start off the story now. You thought that you would simply enjoy it, but… I don't know what to say. More typically, I say before I think. Something about a cat and countdowns? Or was it about lesbians and stains?**

**Why are we thinking about lesbians?**

**Because they're fun bro! Whether in video games or anime or whatever, lesbians are the ultimate force! That and talking animals, and tuna, and music, and baby demons, and-**

**Ok ok, can we just go back to DR? I really want people to see what's happening. And we should tell them we made a Tumblr- . That way we can give them info that correlates with the story, like maps and trivia. You know a story blog? Anyway its destinyparadox20**

… **Yeah I spaced out again. Always do whenever you open that mouth of yours, and will continue as long as I live. So let's move on.**

**I wasn't done talking about-**

**Begin chapter 1 with the Memory Theater! (A recollection from a different person each time)**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Countdown to Despair**

**6 days left**

**16 students remaining**

* * *

_**Memory Theater**_

"_Hey, did you do the homework from yesterday? Can I compare notes?"She looked over to her best friend, as she started twirling a strand of her._

_She sighed at her friends antics. "You forget about the assignment, and you want to copy mine, right?"_

_The other started sputtering. "Wha-what, no I didn't!" They tried her best to look shocked, but it didn't work._

"_You're not a very good liar, you know that right?" she pointed at her own nose. "Your nose twitches like a bunny."_

_The friend puffed out their cheeks, trying to look angry at the girl. "We-well, um, I know for a fact that you really love bunnies, especially Tsu- Mmmph!"_

"_Shut up, shut up, people can hear you!" She hastily covered up her friend's mouth, silencing them from revealing a secret towards a certain boy. He was walking nearby, for God's sake! "All right you can look at my homework, just don't say anything ok?"_

_Being released from the hand prison, the friend simply smiled, letting out a small giggle. "Thank you Ru-chan!"_

* * *

…

"…san…

"…o-san.

"...Micho-san."

Auruka didn't want to wake up, she just wanted to keep sleeping. There was no way anything would keep her from escaping reality. All the trials, court appearances, nothing would keep-

"_I'll curse you…_"

The deep and fearing voice brought her to reality, prompting her to flip off the bed into a small bundle of blankets; a graceful _Thud _was followed by small, muffled laughter. She looked up to see the veiled face of Hanako, suppressing the giggles that were pouring out.

"Good morning Micho-san. Had a nice sleep?" She pushed the veil up from her face.

Auruka could only mutter "Hanaowcha…" She started rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleep and felt around for her surroundings, feeling a blanket of warmth envelop her with a glare of light. She looked up to see an open window and the curtains moving slightly with the gentle breeze that entered, the brownstone building with its ivy wall really did look nice in the morn-

"B-brownstone?!" Auruka had tried to jump away, but stumbled from the blankets and only managed to butt scoot on the floor. There was no way that a brownstone should be outside her bedroom window! Why was Hanako here too? Wait, was this even her bedroom?

It looked small, a bed tucked in the corner that she fell off, the window between it and a little drawer with a mirror. She was smack dab in the middle of the room and on the farther side was three doors, two on the sides and one in the center if the other wall. But the most troubling thing was the small TV propped up in the corner of the wall, and the security camera on the other. This definitely wasn't her room and she needed to know what happened. Hanako stood by the sidelines, waiting for the time to jump in.

It only took a few seconds before her memories caught up to her, and she stiffened as she realized what had transpired. Waking up in the city, the other students, Monokuma and Mononeko, the watches-

Realizing about the watch, she looked at her own wrist, the black and white explosive strapped to it, but that wasn't the worst part. The worst was the flashing, green number 6 on the watch's screen.

"No… This isn't right. This can't be right!" she screamed, grabbing her hair, remembering what that damn bear said; killing, murdering one of your classmates, and that the number stood for how many days are left until…

"What happened to me?" she asked Hanako. "Have I really been asleep for a day? Where am I?" She started to stand up, but a wave of fatigue pushed her back down. Hanako ran over to the drawer reaching for something.

"Well, I think because you got shocked, and you didn't eat yet, and with everything else." She scratched her face, trying to come up with good enough explanation for her new friend. "You probably were lucky that you managed to keep going for a while, maybe Super High School Level Lucky." She heard a groan and let out a small giggle. Getting what she needed, she moved back to Auruka and placed the plate of food down; just rice and fried fish, a simple food prepared by their own little chef Sora.

"Here. This should probably help you a bit, Micho-san. You have to be hungry." Auruka had to have been; she never even touched the yolk on her flower top! The poor girl had to have been starving, especially with how Auruka started digging into the plate of food like a caged animal. She didn't even give thanks, and looking back up at the Medium, the Defense Attorney froze before eating at a much slower pace.

When she was done, she placed the plate down on the floor before Auruka started to try getting up. She had no problem and Hanako was relieved that Auruka was fine; the girl had already been through enough. Hanako could only stare at her friend (she actually had a friend) and wonder how Auruka was faring.

"So," she started, stretching her arms and body. "What exactly happened when I passed out?"

"Monokuma and Mononeko wanted to play doctor to see what was wrong with you." Auruka's eyes widened and Hanako hastily added, "But we stopped them from doing anything, I swear! After that, they decided to show us to our rooms-where we are right now, but I insisted on staying with you, in case you were confused when you woke up."

"Thanks, Hanako-chan. But I just have one question."

"Yeah, what is it?"

She reached the hem of her shirt and began pulling it up, startling Hanako who shielded her face. "Can you tell me where the washroom is? I really need a bath."

"D-d-door! Left door! Th-th-there's also clothes in the drawer. I'll, I'll be waiting outside!" Hanako blindly reached for the plate before rushing out the door. Auruka wondered why Hanako had to get all shy; they were both girls, so it shouldn't matter, right? She went over to drawer to retrieve clothes and was surprised to see the same outfit she was wearing. Every single article of clothing that she woke up in was folded neatly and with an additional copy next to it. Quelling her uneasiness and flair of embarrassment at her undergarments also being copied, she grabbed the clothes and went to the shower.

It was just a simple shower, sink, mirror, and toilet, but it was spotless! The elegance and simplicity was all-around the only good that seemed to happen to the teenage defense Attorney. _"God… I thank you for allowing me just one simple thing in life. Thank you!"_ This truly was a blessing; Auruka has had to deal with an annoying little brother and a dumb big brother every day and-

"_Onee-chan, how long does it take to you to take a bath? Come on, I want to take a bath to!"_

"_Li~ar. You just want to be able to say to your friends you've peeped on a girl bathing."_

"_Both of you shut up! Ichiro, stop being a pervert on your little sister and Koji, stop rushing me!"_

"_Onee-chan!" "Auruka-chan!"_

That flash of memory halted Auruka's actions.

"They're… probably worried about me… I bet Ichirou trying to make sure Koji doesn't dehydrate from crying too much… and mom and dad are calling the police and getting…" Letting out a little groan at herself, she lightly slapped her cheeks. _"Keep it together!" _She thought. _ "You already got shocked from panicking, and you don't need to be resuscitated every hour you worry!" _Leaving her thoughts with her clothes in a pile, she stepped into the shower. Unfortunately, her watch had to join her in the shower.

It was refreshing and something Auruka really needed; yesterday's grime had soon met it ends at the drain. There was some conditioner and a bar of soap that was put to good use, and by the end she felt born again.

Drying herself off with a towel nearby, she began dressing in front of the mirror; her badge was clipped at the collar, her skirt wasn't wrinkled, and her hair was perfect (not counting the little bit that stood up). Hoping Hanako hadn't left yet, she put on her shoes and walked out her (new) room. Hanako was standing out in the hallway holding the plate and Auruka was a bit relieved that she hadn't left her.

"Did you enjoy the shower, Micho-san?"

"Yeah, I did, but uh… where are we?"

A third voice startled Auruka. "We're in the girl's dorm. And I see that you finally woke up." Turning around, Auruka looked at lens of Mandy Dimuc. Just like Hanako and Auruka, she was wearing the same outfit as yesterday.

"The girl's dorm?" she asked.

Mandy nodded and pointed behind her, showing the hallway going farther with two more doors. "You remember the buildings when we first left that warehouse? Well, they were our rooms for as long as we stay here." The words carried a hint of venom, but Auruka could understand. "The left building is for girls and the right is for boys; a simple one-story layout with eight rooms. Yours is Room 6, Amaya's is Room 5, and I have Room 2. Also, every two rooms are connected by a single door between them."

Hanako reached and grabbed Auruka's hand. "So that means that you and I will be together Micho-san. We can have sleepovers every day!"

"Or until our days run out and our watches detonate. Remember Amaya, we only have six days to escape."

"Escape," asked Auruka. "What do you mean?"

Mandy sighed in exhaust, as if she had already explained this. "Sorry, that sigh wasn't directed towards you, I already explained this to a few of the boys, sadly a few more times than necessary. Anyway, as what the mascot rejects had emphasized, we are trapped in this city, but by electrified fences." The girls cringed at the mention of the fences. "That said, it does not mean we simply give up; we simply have to find another way out, no matter what those two want us to do."

"Oh my dear Mandy-chan, why do you want to leave? Big bro and I just want you to enjoy your time in the big city."

The trio immediately turned towards Monokuma and Mononeko, who again, appeared out of nowhere. Mononeko was in front of Monokuma this time, but Monokuma looked to be slightly cowering behind Mononeko. It was actually odd.

"All we ask is that you simply give in and help us with the Mutual Killing game, sounds easy enough right? After all, you guys are total strangers so it should be easy to snuff one of you guys out like a candle."

"There's no way I would do that to anyone! You can't just call killing someone a 'game'!" Hanako looked near tears, but held them back.

"Upupupu~ you know sis, we should have easily accepted that Hanako wouldn't have any intention of killing. Never had as a child and not definitely now." The way that Monokuma talked must have definitely held a double meaning as Auruka noticed how Hanako paled slightly. Gripping the little plate, she stepped up and prepared to throw it the bear in anger, but Auruka gripped her wrist to stop her; the plate dropped and clattered on the floor.

"Oh my, did we hit a nerve there?" Auruka let go of Hanako's wrist and she brought her arms down. Her veil had fallen down, and her hair covered down her eyes, reminding Auruka of a mourner at a funeral. Ignoring this, Mononeko continued. "Well, who cares? That's not why we're here. We only wished to check up on our poor little Auruka, you know make sure that her brain isn't fried and she's in a coma."

"Although, being in a coma would make starting the Mutual killing game even easier, right sis? Puhu, but enough about our dreams, we actually want to give a present to Auruka. Catch!"

Monokuma had thrown something thin straight at Auruka who stumbled slightly trying to catch it. It looked like a student's ID notebook; Auruka's face was on a small photo on the front with her name beneath it. She opened it and was surprised to see that the ID was like a mini tablet; when it opened a screen turned on with the emblem of Hope's Peak Academy, before fading into a map. The map was a layout of Number's Plaza with the three girls, represented by pixelated versions of their faces, while everyone else looked to be around the entire plaza either in buildings or around some black lines that Auruka believed were the fences. They seem to be blocking the streets that Auruka noted earlier.

"That's your ElectroID, a necessity for your City Life here." Said Monokuma. "It has everything for a school field trip: your Report Card, a map of the city, the City Rules, and your Hope Shards!"

"Hope Shards?"

"Whoops, I guess I'm still a little sunbaked from the beach. I forgot where I was for a minute. Upupupupu~" Mononeko joined in amongst an inside joke leaving the girls, oddly, left out. "Anyway, I would recommend reading the City Rules before planning any killing,"

"Like Hell." She muttered.

"And I pray that you can at least help Hanako comprehend the Rules as well. You really don't want to be our first casualty, do you Hanako?" Hanako stiffened when Monokuma addressed her and Mandy tried to glare at the bear in response.

"W-what do you mean causality? You're not really going to hurt me, right?"

It was Mononeko who took the role as speaker. "Let's let Auruka see. Open you ElectroID and look for an icon that looks like me."

Auruka did as told, with hesitation. On the top left corner of the map was indeed a pixel icon of Mononeko and after touching it, the screen shifted to a green background with what Auruka saw as the City Rules.

"Please read them out to us."

Auruka was a little surprised at this; she looked at the first page of rules. "Oh, OK. Um, 'City Rules:

1\. Students are not permitted to litter on the city property.

2\. Students cannot sleep in rooms that are not registered sleeping rooms. Unless a murder is being planned.

3\. At 8 pm, the time will be called Night Time; during Night Time certain areas will be closed off and will not open until Day Time, at 8 am.

4\. The chaperones for this field trip (THE SUPER AWESOME MONOKUMA AND MONOKUMA) cannot harm the students, unless the students put harm upon the chaperones.'"

"You see, Hanako, we are the ones in charge here. My big brother has handled kids for a while, so I really didn't want to see anyone of my students get punished so early." Mononeko sniffed in sympathy. "You have Auruka to thank from stopping you from making a huge mistake. But I do wonder though, what kind of punishment would you have delivered to Hanako if she did throw the plate, big bro?"

"Hmm? You want to know? Well, at first I thought the classic Gugnir would do, but then I thought that it would just be in bad taste. Plus, I don't want to get the floor dirty. So what about this?" Monokuma snapped his paw, how, Auruka would never know, and a little_ BEEP_ followed.

Hanako then let out a little scream, and Auruka looked to see her grabbing her watch. What's wrong?" she asked.

"My watch! It's going down!"

"What?" Mandy half-yelled, before grabbing for Hanako's wrist and looking at the watch, the surprise was evident on her face.

It was true to Auruka's eyes; the number was now a 5, then to her shock, it went down to 4. Seeing this, Hanako tried to claw at the ticking time bomb, knowing that soon it could reach 0 and then…

"Help me get this off! Please!" She started crying as she tried digging her fingers underneath the strap.

Auruka grunted as she tried to rip it off. "I'm trying, it won't come off!" It was hopeless, the watch wouldn't move and Auruka couldn't do anything. But she had to do something. She looked to Mandy for help, but saw that she was moving away quickly from the Medium. She looked fearful.

Auruka didn't know why until she realized it; yesterday when Mononeko exploded, the blast was huge, and if Hanako-

"_Don't think like that, don't think like that! You have to help Hanako-chan!"_ But what could she do? She couldn't think of anything, damn it! She didn't realize she was also getting away from Hanako, until she looked at the fear in her eyes.

3…2…

"Please help me! _I don't want to die!_" she wailed before she crouched and tried covering her body, as if that would help.

1…

2… 3… 4…

The beeping started up again and when Hanako realized she was still in one piece, did she look up. Mandy sighed in relief and Auruka felt her legs wobble before they gave out under her. This seriously wasn't good for her health.

"So sorry we couldn't continue, but it was just an example of what I can do." Looking back at Monokuma, Auruka felt a new wave of hatred at him. "This is what happens when you bastards don't follow the rules, they get punished! So make sure that you don't misbehave at all during your City Life!"

"Wow big bro, you're so cool! I would have never thought a punishment like that would be so cool!" The two started walking away, Mononeko praising her brother and Monokuma taking it all in.

"Hey wait!" Auruka went after them as they turned a corner further away. "Stop right now!" But she was only met with a closed door towards outside, all traces of the two gone.

* * *

"Wow that really does sound bad… Sorry you had to go through that Hanako-chan."

"It's alright Kurosawa-kun, I'm just glad I'm still here."

"I really don't think that should make you feel better."

Hanako stifled a small giggle. Looking over at the defense attorney across the table, she replied. "That's true Micho-san, but I still have hope that this will turn out alright. After all, just knowing that I'm getting a cake to make me feel better puts a smile on my face."

Jude was the first to start laughing at what Hanako said, followed by Kanade, and soon the table joined in, leaving Sora (she had just exited the kitchen) confused. Once it died down, Sora carried the plate she was carrying over to Hanako; it was a small little cake topped with cream and a large strawberry.

Kousuke looked to be in high spirits when he saw the cake that Hanako started digging in to after giving thanks. "Whoa, Sora-chan, will your cooking ever stop amazing me? Hey Hanako-san, can I have a slice?" He didn't even wait for an answer before he tried to reach for her plate. Auruka slapped his hand before he could touch the strawberry and he whined as he pulled away.

When Hanako and Auruka left the apartment, Mandy strayed away to talk with the others regarding any info on escape. Since Hanako had picked up the plate from earlier, they made the cafeteria their destination and after arriving, they found Kousuke, Jude, Kanade, and Sora. They greeted her with smiles and Auruka decided to spend time with them, especially after hearing what happened, Sora decided to make something for Hanako.

"It's all right. I can just make another one for you, Ko-kun." Even though she didn't stutter as usual, there was still a nervous tone in Sora's voice.

"Ko-kun?"

"Yeah, Sora does this really cute thing with people's names. Well, after we give her permission…" Hanako put her fork down next to her half-eaten cake. "She gives us nicknames, like for example, I'm Hana-chan, and Kurosawa-kun is Ko-kun, um… Maiyuri-chan is Kana-chan, and Beckett-kun is Ju-kun. There are others too." Auruka looked up at Sora, who was growing redder and redder which stood out in her light pink ensemble. She wanted to feel sorry, but it was too funny!

Seeing the smile that was probably growing on Auruka's face, Sora started to reach for the plate with the half-eaten cake. "Um, I'm just take this back to the kitchen!" Ignoring Hanko's little protest, Sora grabbed the plate and jerked it away. She just wanted to escape the embarrassment, away from m the people that she idolized, and it was there that led to the cake flying out of the plate landing square on the center of Jude's jacket.

It only took Jude getting up and yelling, "what the bloody Hell, ya' twit!" for Sora to turn another shade red; she could match with Diana's dress if she wanted to. Jude tried to utter an apology at his outburst, but it was too late as Sora ran out the cafeteria covering her face. Auruka had a sense of Déjà Vu from her first day in the city when she met Sora's back.

"I'm sorry!" She yelled as she rushed out the cafeteria.

"Ah, Sora-chan, wait a… and she's gone." Kousuke scratched his head, probably wondering about Sora. "Man that girl can run."

"Oh my, did I miss a Flag Event?" As before, Mononeko had appeared out of nowhere, this time without her brother and on the table, without anyone noticing; Auruka was not pleased in the slightest to see the cat again since this morning. She noticed how Hanako gave a slight tremble.

"What're you doing her now? Shouldn't you be chasing rats or something?" She honestly wanted that cat gone, so she could at least believe that everything was okay. As long as that cat was here it was proof that this wasn't a little slice of life field trip or whatever.

"Oh, Auruka-chan, you injure me. I would if I could, but my brother and I hate mice. Oh, they're so scary that I tremble when I hear them squeak!"

"That's nice to know." Kanade muttered, before getting up. "Excuse me, but I'm going to go check on Sora-chan. I want to make sure she's fine."

"I'm coming to; I really should apologize for what I said to her." Jude took off his jacket and folded it up. "Plus, the stains are really setting in and I would rather clean it now then later."

"Hey, you can't leave now! I just got here! Are you really gonna leave me with these three, I don't want to be stuck with these guys! They're dumb and mean, and the pink one is a wimp!"

"Well it's not like I wanted to spend time with you either, cat; I'm more of a dog person."

"Wahhh! Auruka-chan, why do you have to be mean to little old me, I haven't done anything wrong at all. I just want to be with people who aren't gonna faint every time something amazing happens on this field trip."

"You're calling this stuff amazing?" asked Kousuke, who actually seemed to ignore the atmosphere.

Despite the voice telling her to strangle Mononeko (and maybe Kousuke) , Auruka watched as Kanade and Jude left to go reassure Sora that she had no reason to run away. Again. When the two left, Mononeko let out a huff before turning towards to the trio.

"Well, I was hoping to see something exciting on our little field trip. But I guess I only have the killing to look forward to. Bummer. But you know-

"There's going to be no killing here whatsoever, no matter what you or your bastard brother say, I'll make sure of that."

Everyone, even Auruka, was surprised at what she said. That was the kind of voice with authority, the kind she only used when she was defending an innocent person from a crime they didn't commit. Except this time, she wasn't saying it towards her; this was for the other fifteen kids trapped here by the two, and she wasn't going to abandon. Sure, she's only known them for a day, but they seemed like good people.

She looked over at Kousuke and Hanako, both looking like they were staring at a celebrity- technically true with her status as a lawyer. Mononeko, on the other hand, showed no expression. How exactly could she with her button eyes and still mouth?

"Bleh. I knew there was something I didn't like. Honestly, just because you have a bad hair day every day, does _not_ mean you have to be the good guy." She turned away from them, and Auruka could only catch only a mutter. _"…first a shrimp, then a nobody, and now a freakin' lawyer? Are we actually gonna have another bad ending?" _She jumped off the table and she was gone without making a sound.

"I can honestly say that I hate that cat." '_But what was she talking about, a shrimp and nobody? It sound like I'm not the first to piss off that cat.' _

"Hey, Micho-chan, Hanako-chan, how about we help the others with that escape plan? I don't want to be the only guy that didn't give a hand here. Although I don't know what we're supposed to be doing…" Kousuke's rambling did seem to be the only thing that they could do at this moment. Auruka took out her ElectroID to glance at the map. Maybe a little investigation would find some way out of here- it's better than the alternative.

"Ok, then is it alright if I go on my own?" she asked. "I want to take a look and see this city."

Hanako seemed surprised but nodded nonetheless at Auruka. "Okay. Then Kurosawa-kun and I will look for Dimuc-san and the others and see what they found. Oh yeah, we all actually promised to meet up here at evening for dinner and to share info, so don't forget Micho-san."

She kept that in mind as she began heading outside, but she stopped for a second. She turned back and said, "You know Hanako-chan, it's alright to call me Auruka."

Hanako exclaimed. "Really?"

"Yeah." She could see a spark of joy in the Medium's eyes.

"Thank you… Auruka-chan!"

* * *

It seemed that the fences were gonna be a constant reminder; the plaza was pretty big, but there was only a handful of buildings and the cafeteria looked to be the largest building. Then there was that gazebo that she noticed yesterday. Up close it was even creepier: half of it was black and the other was white, like a certain bear, but there was really nothing odd about it.

She looked at the map and went behind the building, noticing a field of green with nature scattered about. Unfortunately, the fences were in the way; they really were trapped here with no way out.

'_Stop thinking light that. Maybe the others figured something out or something.'_

No one seemed to be nearby, so she really couldn't ask about the fence. Turning back, she looked at the building she passed by earlier. It was a little red store on the left of the cafeteria, with a neon sign calling it the Deli. The doors were open and she could clearly see people in it, and ever curious, she walked in greeted by the cool air from inside. She could clearly hear a conversation going on between Miki and someone else.

"…worry about your condition Yoshi. I simply wish to know how you are failing right now."

'_Failing? Yoshi?' _Auruka got closer to a nearby aisle, seeing Miki with Yoshi who was rifling through bags of chips; Yoshi had discarded the jacket around his waist and Miki no longer had her scarf on. Auruka could only guess that Yoshi was probably finding a snack with Miki to help guide him possibly. Feeling a bit sneaky, the Defense Attorney hid behind a rack of snacks, even though she could probably join in the conversation. But then again, why not?

"I think you mean _fairing _Miki, and I'm okay right now. Besides, why should I worry over myself when there's nothing to worry about?" The whitest looked at where Miki's voice cam and smiled. "I have you to help me out after all."

"Dude, are you seriously not worried about the watches or this Mutual Killing thing?" Auruka had decided to reveal herself to the duo. "I mean, I'm glad you're feeling positive, but I would be okay with you freaking out." The screams of Hanako were still perfectly clear in her head.

"Good evening Micho, I am glad to see that you are well and up." The Seamstress' monotone voice was now starting to get creepy. "Are you suffering any discomfort in your head? Your body? Or maybe in your kokomo?"

"Eh? Kokomo?"

Yoshi waved his hand, now with a bag of chips, "Sorry, but what Mik-Miss Okazaki meant was 'your heart'." Auruka took note of the slight stutter and the way he now addressed Miki. "She sometimes gets her words confused; a little planning before speaking, you know? Anyway, how _are_ you Miss Micho?"

"I should be asking you the same thing, Yomohiro-kun, how come you aren't scared at all? We're kidnapped from some homicidal stuffed bear and some kiss up little sister cat, with watches that _explode _strapped to our wrists, trapped in some weird city, and given the option to kill. Shouldn't you be I don't know… spazzing out or something? I mean, your one of the people her that I really expected to be near panic or jumpy, like Sora." How can those two stay calm? Miki, she could understand because the girl looked incapable of feeling, but Yoshi seemed too nice.

He seemed to give it thought and he answered, "I guess it's because I carry hope."

That surprised Auruka a bit. "Hope?"

"Yeah, hope. I have hope that we can be saved, hope that we can leave without death. I simply believe in the positive attributes in life, in order to keep looking towards tomorrow." He placed his hand over where his heart was and looked at Auruka. Even though he couldn't see her, it felt that way to the pinkette. "I know for a fact that we have some of the future generation's greatest minds on this field trip, and I know they're working to save us. And even then we shouldn't forget about Hope's Peak, they're also not gonna their 81st Class go through this. So we shouldn't give up on the hope that we're going to be okay! A lot of people wouldn't wish for this to happen to us!" He actually looked a bit winded right now.

"Yoshi, you are shouting."

"Oh, I was? I'm sorry."

Auruka didn't know what to say actually. Yoshi definitely was keeping a positive attitude in the situation, even when Auruka was still battling put the worries in her mind. A blind Storyteller was faring better in a killing game than her, a Defense Attorney. Now that would not be accepted, would it?

"Yomohiro-kun, I'm… sorry for my attitude." He seemed surprised that she was apologizing after he had, and Auruka continued. "I really shouldn't try to be so negative, you know? I was just…" She shook her head to try and clear her thoughts and looked at Yoshi and his smile. "Hey, is it okay if I hang with you guys for a bit? I think I should hear more about this hope you have." That was the truth; if she was gonna get out of here, then it should be because of the others, not whatever that damn bear or cat said.

He was about to answer, but looked at Miki to make sure it wasn't a bother to her; Auruka was relieved to see the little nod from the dual bunned girl. He turned back to her and said, "It's alright with both of us, Miss Micho."

"Call me Auruka."

"Ahaha, alright Miss Auruka." "As you request Auruka."

* * *

_I spent some time shopping with Yomohiro-kun and Okazaki-san in the market, and I feel we became a little closer._

* * *

**Ha… Ha…. Ha… Freaking done! Kill me…**

**But if I killed you, how are we gonna finish the story? I can't do this by myself you know. But anyway, hope you enjoy this. And about the poll we posted… well… since we had a three-way tie for the third, we did a drawing and got… Sora! That was completely by random… I hope.**

**The duos, the duos! Tell them about the duos!**

**Right, right. The thing about the five choices is that for Chapter 1 will be dual free time events! All characters will interact, but Auruka will have special moments with those in the polls. For this poll, the duos for this chapter will be Jude/Diana, Sora/Keiichi, and Isamu/Kaishi.**

**Oh, oh, oh! Also, check out our Tumbler because we put up the map for Numbers Plaza on it! Now you can see what the place looks like! **

**Until next time minna-sa~n! Review and tell us how we are**


	8. Countdown to Despair 1-2

**DH13: Good morning/evening/night everyone! Welcome to the second part of chapter 1. Are you excited? Because I am! That or it's just the caffeine in my veins. But whatever, we are just super excited to have updated so quickly!**

**PM7: Yeah, and we're all happy for the reviews and that you've given us. And I bet you're glad we haven't called quits yet.**

**DH13: Why'd you have to say something like that?**

**PM7: I'm just saying, there's a lot who haven't updated and I'm feeling antsy. I know people are busy in life, but I always feel a bit broken when our OCs are just… frozen in the story. That's why we made this.**

**DH13: I thought it was because of our great ideas and stuff, Mr. Depression.**

**PM7: That too. Anyway, enjoy and review.**

* * *

**Memory Theater 2**

"_I'm sorry it took so long to get here." She walked into the room of her beloved child, who was lying underneath a mountain of blankets. She wasn't really his mother and he had loving parents, but she still thought of him as family, and vice versa with the boy._

"_That's all right. I really wanted to speak with you." He tried to sound cheerful, but he wasn't feeling that at the moment. Not since 'she' visited just this morning._

_His current nurse called for her and said it was of up most importance; she could hear the sound of something breaking over the phone and she noticed one of the flower pots was missing from the room. "… I heard you didn't want to see her again, you told her parents that you won't ever let her see you." She noticed his tense posture and the way he gripped the blankets, she hit the nail on that one._

"_It's just…" he began, "I don't want to see her anymore. Just seeing her makes me sick to my stomach". He started trembling and she rushed to his side, but he shook her off quickly; that actually surprised her. "How could they do that to us? To her? How exactly am I supposed to accept something like that? How can…"_

"…_Huh?"_

"_How am I supposed to see her as the girl I loved!? She's not her in any way whatsoever! She's just a fake!" He never yelled before, not at her, not at his family, no one. And now he was angry at what happened. Angry at what happened to her…_

_She was… she was…_

"…_a monster…" he hissed._

_Unknown to the two, outside the room was a lone figure in silence. _

_The girl who was not who she said she was. _

_The fake._

"_Forgive me for not being her." She whispered._

* * *

**6 days left**

Having lunch with fifteen other people made it whole ordeal seem normal. Auruka was with the other students in one big group table, eating more delicious food prepared from the Pastry Chef, the atmosphere similar to hanging out with friends. Auruka honestly couldn't complain about it, but the way everyone was making casual small talk was just a bit odd in her eyes. That was it, no details about anything they found, no cry of concern over how they were doing, just small talk.

"_Well, Hanako-chan did say we were going to talk during dinner, so I really shouldn't worry."_ But not doing anything was something Auruka just couldn't do. They had six days on their watches, and she was not looking forward to them going off. And there was no way she was going for option two.

"Auruka-chan, are you alright?" She glanced over at the Medium, noticing the speckle of crumbs on the corners of her mouth.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about stuff." She replied quickly. Not wishing to further worry Hanako, the Defense Attorney resumed eating her food. Although, that did raise another question about their situation. She looked up at their server, who sat down and was beginning to eat the meal she prepared.

"Hey Imayoshi-chan, how can you make this food for us?" The Pastry Chef looked at Auruka for a second, before her face blossomed in red. She shielded her face with her hands and looked down at her lap. That was odd. "Imayoshi-chan? You ok?"

Keiichi, who was sitting next to her, shook her shoulder, which basically shook her entire body. "Soracchi, Michocchi is asking you a question." Auruka cringed at the nickname Keiichi gave her. "_Soracchi~_" He kept pleading with her, but the Cheer Captain could only get slight mumbling from her.

"She wants to be called Sora."

"Huh?"

Akihisa looked slightly annoyed at Auruka's response, but he continued. "She's embarrassed that you called her by her last name. She'd rather you address her with her first name. Don't ask me why, but that's how she is with us all."

"Oh that's right!" Hanako bopped her head as if trying to recall. "Sora-chan wanted us all to call her by her first name, but she wants permission to use our first names. I probably should have mentioned that earlier to you Auruka-chan, I'm sorry."

She looked back at Sora, who looked like she wanted to run away again if it wasn't for the grip Keiichi had on her. Running away was definitely something she was accustomed to doing. Auruka decided to take note and return to that later on.

"I really don't get it though." said Diana. "First names and last names shouldn't really be a big deal, should it?"

Jude spoke up. "It's more of a respect kind of thing, love; cultural differences and the like. It's um… hey Mandy, how exactly would you describe it?"

The Brainiac gave a dramatic sigh, as if she was expecting it, but she went with it. "What you're saying is on the path. In Japan, they address people with their last name when people first meet, then if they become close, they'll use first names. They also add honorifics to the end of the names depending on the situation."

"Dimuc-chan, you don't have to lecture, this stuff is basic knowledge. Everyone should know that." Mandy gave a slight _tch_, but could only push her glasses up and ignore Isamu's comment.

"Dimuc-san, may I?" asked Amane, with Mandy giving a slight nod. The next thing Auruka knew, Isamu was clutching his head in pain, his upper half lying on the floor, and his legs slight bent on the seat, with Amane resuming her half-finished meal. It was enough to make Auruka and a few others burst out laughing; Sora looked a bit relieved that attention was no longer on her.

"I don't see the point in any of this."

The cold tone from Nathaniel definitely caught everyone's attention and Auruka had actually forgotten the guy was here; he didn't really seem like a people kind of guy, she noted. Or an eater, with his plate of food barely touched.

"What are you talking about, Robinson-kun?" asked Kaishi, recovering from his laughing fit. "We're just having a bit of fun. Messing around, you know?"

Nathaniel glared at the Water Polo Player. "I don't see why you would wish to fool yourselves with fun right now, or have you forgotten? We're trapped in this Mutual Killing where we have to kill if we wish to survive."

The one to speak up actually surprised Auruka and the others. "Th-there's no way anyone would do that." Said Sora timidly, before continuing, "Because, because… I know that help is coming for us!"

"Ah, and how would you know that?" the Fencer countered.

"We-well… it's because… we're special… and…" Looking down, she started gripping her dress; she tried to continue, but her voice was small and incoherent. Thankfully, someone else came to her aid.

"I believe Sora is referring to our status- students of Hope's Peak Academy-and why it is necessity to ensure our safety." Miki's poker face deterred Nathaniel off for a second. "If an entire future class of one of the most prestigious schools in the world went missing, then it would make sense for the school to track and rescue them if necessary."

"She's right. There's no way Hope's Peak would simply hand Upupupu Bear an entire class roster to murder each other." Add in Mandy's glasses glare and you have Nathaniel going silent, a scowl evident. "So, we should give a hand to whoever is trying to rescue us: smoke signal, radio waves, or even making a giant SOS; we need to find an escape before these timers go off." The Brainiac looked at the group before saying, "That is why I should be elected as leader until help arrives."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold it." Kaishi stood up from his seat. "Who says you get to be leader?"

"Well, I simply believe that's it's because I can be able to formulate a plan on our escape."

"But still, don't you think we should do a vote?" said Diana, twirling a strand of her hair. "I mean, we should go for a democracy or something, or maybe a show of hands. Come on who's with me? Vote for Diana Valentine for President!"

"_..."_

"What was that?" The Street Performer asked; it sounded like Mandy was speaking English, but Diana didn't quite catch that.

"Nothing. I was just… Well, anyway, I guess you're right. I shouldn't have tried to make myself leader so quickly. I'm sorry Diana." Mandy took a look at someone across the table. "If anything, I believe Ikeda should be the leader." Amane seemed surprised, and Mandy continued. "She's the Super High School Level Spy, right. Who better to be the leader? Any objections?"

Kaishi seemed like he wanted to say something, but he glanced over at Isamu, who was rubbing his head, and stayed silent. No one else objected to it, except for two paws raised up in the air.

"Ehem, excuse me, but I do believe me and my big bro would like to object." As always, Monokuma and Mononeko had appeared out of nowhere, startling a few of the students. "Students should not vote on any presidents, class representatives, or teen idols unless they're supervised by a responsible teacher."

"Well I see no responsible teachers." Nathaniel returned with more bark. "Just two eligible chew toys for my Rottweiler."

"Eyah, Van is being super mean today!" Mononeko went behind Monokuma as usual.

"Maybe Van should learn the way of the bears, we would never threaten our headmaster after all they've done."

"Eh? Van?" Yoshi asked. "Who's Van?" Meanwhile, Nathaniel looked like he swallowed a lemon. He turned away and began walking away from the table.

"Hey Nathaniel, where do you think you're going?" Jude asked. "And why did they call you Van anyway? What's that mean?"

The Fencer stopped for a second. "It's none of your concern, so don't try to pry any information from me. I'm going to continue with the investigation of this city. No one follow me." He continued walking, before stopping again.

"Hey, Pastry Chef."

Sora looked up in surprise, and asked in a slight tremble. "Uh, yes?"

"The food was okay, but it tasted a little too sweet. Fix that." And the Fencer was out of their view, leaving fourteen students, two stuffed toys, and one tomato faced cupcake. Auruka noted on the usual shade of red on the Pastry Chef's face, and Sora began cradling her face as before, but instead of running outside like before, she started walking stiffly towards the kitchen. She muttered "I'm sorry", before the door closed behind her. It seemed that no one chose to follow her; everyone was used to this already.

There was an awkward silence before Monokuma spoke up. "Huh? It seems that Sora and Van have started a flag event. But I wonder, can they reach the S rank in only six days? What do you think Mandy?"

"Honestly," she said. "I just want you and the cat to leave before I lose my lunch. And why the Hell are you calling Nathaniel Van?"

"Gah! Big bro, Mandy is definitely fitting her role. Do you really think it'll happen soon, huh? Huh?" Mononeko's exclamation made absolutely no sense to anyone, besides Monokuma. But there was a hint of fear felt by Mandy by majority of the group.

"Of course little sis, a murder will most definitely happen in this situation. With the way things are, I'm betting that Kousuke will be the first to fall."

Kousuke was, meanwhile, finishing on his third plate of food and didn't seem to take note on what was happening. He looked up at some of the student's glances and asked, "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"See? What'd I tell you? Ah, speaking of which; Auruka, you really don't know the rules about the Mutual Killing, do you?"

Auruka was confused. "Rules?"

"My poor girl, did no one tell you about our rules for this game. Can't blame them though; if I knew the rules for a game like this, I would never dream of telling anyone the rules, just so I could have the upper hand. Not even my sister."

"Big bro, that's mean!" Monokuma started hitting her paws on Monokuma's shoulder, but he either didn't feel it or chose to ignore it.

"All right, everyone take out your ElectroID and check the Rules again. You'll need to swipe the screen to move on the second set of rules."

"That includes you too, Sora," said Mononeko, waving her paw towards the kitchen doors. "So come on out and join the rest. A girls needs to experience friendships, you know, before you all start killing each other." Sora, who was back to a normal shade, came out from behind the doors, head down, and sat down next to Keiichi.

Auruka looked at her ElectroID and went to the rules, swiping to look at the next set. Safe to say, it wasn't the greatest thing she read; just reading them sent a shiver in her spine.

5\. You can kill a fellow student in any way necessary: stabbing, slicing, burning, poison, blunt force, etc.

6\. Students can ONLY murder up to a maximum of two.

7\. There can only be up to a maximum of two killers in every class trial.

8\. If the murder is ruled as a suicide, then the Blackened is the one who killed themselves.

9\. Destruction of property by the Blackened is allowed when the Blackened is performing a murder.

10\. Have fun and be yourself when killing!

"So, any questions?" the two siblings asked.

Isamu raised his hand. "Yeah, this 'class trial'. You never really explained it to us." He recoiled when the others looked at him apprehensively.

"Um, Mr. Minobe, are you perhaps considering what the two say?" Yoshi looked slightly alarmed and started grasping the air near him, before Miki's hand came and held it.

Realizing that, he sputtered, "N-no, that's not it! I'm just curious, I swear!"

"I'm curious as well." Amane was playing with what looked like a second watch on her wrist. She was taking turns glancing at the watch and then back to the two. "What's exactly a class trial? And how does it play out with murdering a student?"

Monokuma crossed his arms and shook his head. "Didn't they teach students about this? What's with this school system nowadays? But I guess I can be a good bear and tell you.

"A Class Trial is basically what happens after a murder has been carried out: the remanding students will have to determine who the Blackened is, the one who disrupted their city life, and perform a trial to discover their identity. If they can find put whodunit, then the Blackened will be punished, but if you get it wrong then I'll punish-"

"You mean _we'll _punish, right big bro?" said Mononeko.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll punish everyone besides the Blackened. And that person will then be able to leave this city and graduate!"

Taking the students silence as a means to go on, the bear continued.

"And I better hurry if I was you, but then again, do you really expect anyone to care about sixteen little bastards when there's wars and famine happening elsewhere?"

"Not saying you guys aren't special!" Mononeko didn't want her students to feel like they were worthless or anything. That is something a supervisor wouldn't allow! "There's just so much on everyone's plates that would put their focus on you a little lower than other things."

"Speaking of things lower… I see that the watches we gave you are on six. Upupupu, I would hate to see our wonderful city life go down the drain because everyone exploded." The students all glanced at the countdown to their demise, a mixture of fear and worry shared between them.

"Upupupu. Well then, I guess my sister and I should leave you to your cold lunch. Just as cold as a corpse."

And like that, the two left just as how they appeared, leaving fifteen participants of a murder game alone.

* * *

"'_Just as cold as a corpse. _Ha! Like Monokuma can make jokes at us." Diana was barely paying attention to the nightgown she was holding, and instead she was clutching it. "When I see that bear again I'm going to… going to…" Diana started clawing at her head in anger, startling Hanako and leaving Auruka fearing for her safety. "God those two piss me off so freaking much! Not even these cute pajamas can distract me!" she whined.

The three girls, plus Isamu for some odd reason, where in one of the two stores the plaza had to offer; Hanako had wanted to show Auruka some of the clothes that this store had to try to take her mind off what happened a while ago with Monokuma and Mononeko. Auruka had hoped to find some new clothes to wear, but all that the store had to offer were pajamas and various bed wear. The store had some selection, but Auruka wanted to keep looking for tonight; she didn't really know how long they were in the store.

"Hey, Auruka-chan, what do you think of this, think I could pull this off?" Hanako held out one of the skimpiest night gowns Auruka had ever seen in her life. You could barely tell what color it was because it was see-through, and the bits that were cloth could only (slightly) cover certain unmentionables. Auruka couldn't imagine why on Earth Hanako would wish to wear this.

"Now that looks amazing Amaya-chan," The Defense Attorney wanted nothing more than to punch the Luckster. "A lady like you can totally pull off something like that and still keep her purity. Why don't you give us a sneak peek for bedtime?"

Yup, she_ really _wanted to punch him.

"But of course Minobe-kun." The three froze at what Hanako said, Isamu looking the most surprised. She had a faint blush and gave a wink in his direction, leaving them stupefied on what happened to the Medium. "All I ask is that we do this later, say, your room tonight? That is, if you'll have me."

"I… ugh… you uh…" Isamu could only stutter and he started to blush. This was really different from the attitude Auruka had seen yesterday; he looked to be competing for who could pull of the tomato look with Sora now.

"Pfffffft-hahahaha! Oh my God, this is too much!" Diana guffawed, and Auruka couldn't help but join in the laughter; Hanako couldn't contain herself and sputtered out her giggles. Isamu had no idea what just happened. "Look at him! God, he's like every guy I met, always acting cool and suave, but the minute you get with it they crash and burn!" The Street performer was clutching her sides. "Oh man, I can't breathe!"

Stifling herself, Hanako placed the night gown back in the racks. "Sorry Minobe-kun, ahaha, just a little joke."

"How is that a joke?! Would you really act that way towards a guy, here of all places? Have some dignity or something!" He tried to pass off angry, the way he was fidgeting and trying to hide his blushing killed it.

"Didn't you want Hanako-chan to dress up for you?" asked Auruka, who was recovering from her laughing fit. "I mean she did basically give you permission, which you should never do Hanako-chan." Hanako gave a cheeky smile in return.

"E-even, even so…. You just do that here! Wha, what if someone here is a rapist or something, or a psycho, or not a nice guy!?"

"How is a not nice guy fit in the category with a psycho and a rapist?" Auruka really couldn't understand Isamu's logic. "Well, there's Futonomi-san and Robinson-san-"

"It just is, okay?! Geez, I'm going out!" Isamu ran out the store, leaving the girls confused, guilty, or eager to tell others what happened. Before leaving their sight, they noticed Isamu running into someone, briefly bowed, and then hightailed away.

Jude walked into the store, a bit startled from Osamu running into him, and looked to the girl trio and asked, "What exactly happened here? Why was Isa- uh, Minobe running away from here?"

"Well, you see…" Auruka had explained what Hanako had decided to do on a whim.

"Ahaha, I see. Just a little fooling around with the bloke's nob, eh?"

"Yeah… I have no idea what you just said." Diana started browsing again through the clothes racks. "Then again, I never really spent much time in _jolly old England_ to know the slang. Just that a gay man is known as a cigarette." She let out an awkward laugh.

Clearing his throat, Jude said, "_Right, _well anyway I just wanted to apologize for my behavior this morning. I already apologized to Sora and Maiyuri and I needed to apologize to you two. I'm terribly sorry for what you witnessed, just a bit of the stress from everything. Didn't think I'd start the school year in some daft game created by some furry obsessed psychos."

"Speaking of those two, where are Monokuma and Mononeko? You would think, with the way those two seem, that they would be bothering us nonstop like a couple of kids?" It's not Auruka would be thrilled to see them again, but for hosts of a murder game they didn't seem to care as much over the participants as she expected.

"Now Auruka-chan, you don't want to jinx us. Let's just focus more on our escape rather than our kidnapper's. We need to look forward to leaving this place and reuniting on our families." Hanako regretted those words as she noticed the somber looks on the others.

"Right… our parents. My mom and dad are probably really worried about me." Jude turned from the girls and tried to look interested in a rack of eye masks. "I promised them I would chat with them after I arrived at Hope's Peak. Wonder if they're just sitting at the computer still…"

"Well I don't know about a mom or dad, but the whole Midnight Maladies are probably wondering too. They gave me a big farewell at the airport- still can't believe we didn't get arrested because of that- and then… nothing after that. That must've been when those two kidnapped me."

"Um, Valentine-san, about what you said," said Hanako.

"Diana. Call me Diana."

"Ah, right. Diana-san, you said you don't know about a mom or dad. I don't mean to pry, but I'm curious. Why wouldn't your parents have a need to check up on you?"

The Street Performer didn't say anything for a moment, but then blurted "Because I don't remember them. I don't even if they're still alive after all these years."

The three were surprised at what Diana proclaimed, and Auruka asked "How can you not remember parents? Did they…" She didn't really want to ask, but she did. "Did they die when you were a kid? Or were you abandoned?"

"Nope." Diana was pretty calm answering; she put emphasis on the 'p' to make a popping sound. "It's just that…" She sighed. "I was a little girl in some European town with a name I can't remember who was with her family one second, then the next I'm crying in some shoddy alley, all alone. It gets better though! I felt someone patting my head and telling me not to cry and I look up and see this guy, Johann by the way, looking awkward as Hell in trying to comfort me, and the first thing I said to him was, 'Are you a pervert?'" She let out a little laugh seeing their faces go from somber to ridiculous in three seconds flat.

"I was a little kid, so I didn't really understand what I was saying at that age, but after reassuring me he wasn't a deviant, he took me to a place where I could calm down for a bit. That would be where I met a caravan of performers known as the Midnight Maladies. But the truth is, I never really knew what happened to my birth parents." Diana picked up a flannel shirt from one of the racks. "What about you guys though? Jude, you want to tell us about your family? You mentioned parents. Or maybe you girls would like to talk."

"Um, well I don't think I have a story to top that, but I guess I can talk about family." Even though the thought of her family left a bitter taste, Auruka decided to go along. It would probably help. "I have a pretty normal family, minus the normal. There's my mom, who takes pride in her job as a stay-at-home mom, and my dad, who works as chief in the police department." Diana mentally cringed when Auruka mentioned her father was associated with the law. "They are always are so embarrassing with the way they act all lovey dovey around each other. My brothers and I always thought it was gross!"

"Brothers?" Hanako asked.

"Yeah. I'm actually the middle-child in the family; I have a big brother named Ichiro and a little brother named Koji. Ichiro is a freshman at college and Koji's only in junior high, but they both act like elementary schoolers if you ask me." Auruka couldn't recall when those two weren't doing something stupid.

"Sadly, I don't know what it's like to have siblings, I was an only child to my parents, so I basically had a spoiled life living in ol' Lancaster. Of course with my dad being a CEO of finances, the spoiled life was pretty pricey." Jude frowned slightly. "In school though, some of the kids weren't the best classmates to have. But other than that, life was pretty much simple and good. But what about you Hanako? Got any riveting tales about your family you want to share?"

Hanako looked a bit apprehensive, but before she could say anything, Kanade walked into the store and said in a gentle voice. "Excuse me. We need to go."

"Go? What do you mean?" asked Jude.

"Well, it's almost close to dinner time. And I… need your help with something." Despite the greeting she gave Auruka and Hanako earlier, Kanade was speaking soft and timid. Not as bad as Sora, but still.

Hanako gave a slight nod. "It's about Sora-chan, isn't it? About what she said about eating, I mean." Kanade nodded, but Auruka still didn't understand. Hanako seemed to notice her slight confusion- was she actually a psychic or something? -and explained, "Sora-chan is the one that cooks for us, but a lot of us don't want her to do it. Cooking three meals a deal for sixteen people would put a strain on anyone,"

"And then you add in three extra savings for that Kurosawa guy, and you got Sora passed out over a pile of cakes." Diana added in.

"That's right. Imayoshi-chan shouldn't really have to do any of this for us, but she volunteered herself for as long as it takes." They noted how Kanade called Sora by her last name. "I know she may probably dislike it, but I was hoping one of you would wish to accompany me to the kitchen and help. If you're okay with cooking for the rest of the group." The last sentence was more of a hushed whisper.

"Oh, oh, I'll do it! I want to help!" Hanako was raising her hand like she would in class. "I want to help Sora-chan cook, I want to see a master at work!"

"Isn't her title Super High School Level _Pastry Chef_, though?" Hanako ignored Jude's comment and followed Kanade outside, giving a wave to Auruka.

"You stay and find something you and I can both wear tonight, Auruka-chan! I'm gonna learn how to use a stove!"

"Wait, do you just say you don't know how to use a stove? Hanako, do you even know how to cook?!"

* * *

"Kana-chan, it's alright. You didn't have to help me with making dinner, I can do it myself. Really."

"Imayoshi-chan, I'm doing this not because I have to, but because I want to. Same with Amaya-chan."

Sora looked like she wanted to say something, but decided to finish stirring the batter. Meanwhile, Hanako was tasting the broth for the soup and Kanade was chopping the vegetables for the soup. When they first arrived to assist Sora, they were surprised to see her covered in flour, the smell of burnt bread hovering in the air, and a pot boiling and overflowing water. Needless to say, despite the fact she didn't seem to want to help, Sora was inwardly grateful she didn't have to do this by herself.

After deciding the broth had enough salt, Hanako asked Sora what was left to do. "Just get the meats from the fridge. Kana-chan, can you add the vegetables to the soup now if you're done? " The blonde had already poured the batter in a pan and placed it in one of the ovens. Two things amazed Hanako: the size of the kitchen, and the way Sora seemed calmer in the kitchen. She didn't even stutter once since they arrived.

The kitchen was fairly massive, like the ones that five-star restaurants would have: Three stoves, twelve burners, a large fridge stocked with food, cabinets filled with various cooking appliances, and a pantry of dry goods. This was truly a (pastry) chef's dream kitchen.

Hanako walked back over to the stove with her hands of beef and pork in little packages. "Hey, I'm curious. Exactly how much food do we have at the moment?" She didn't want to have to fasten for a few days if they realized they already were halfway through with the food they had. She was not ready to be a cannibal at sixteen!

Sora took the meat from her hands and laid them on a counter, before opening and removing the meat from the containers, lying them on the counter top, and preceding to cut them with a knife. "It was on the first day. After cooking, Monokuma came and told me that every day the kitchen would restock, so I was relieved about that. Hana-chan, can you go grab the plates from that counter over there? Oh, and after that can you please grab a nabe pot too? Kana-chan please add these to the broth and I'll start on the curry and rice." With six hands working together, the food could be done in less than an hour or so, and Sora couldn't help but smile.

Outside the kitchen, Keiichi smiled, glad that someone went to help Sora before him. Although the circumstances were something he didn't want, it was good to see Sora getting along with others in her element.

"Yes, captain!" "Okay." He heard reply to Sora's request, and he walked away from the trio to tell the others that dinner would be ready soon.

Sora did nothing to stop the usual blush from coming and only smiled, clutching the curry packet to her chest as she stood in the pantry.

People…

…people were actually nice to her.

* * *

**Memory Theater 3**

_The two were lying on the grass, their backs connecting with each other. It was dark but neither cared. "Hey, did you hear that our parents want us to get married?"_

"_Mmh…" They were trying to draw a figure in the dirt, but the throbbing on their arm hindered the smile on the drawing's face._

"_I know you're my best friend and all, but I don't want that. Do you?" It's not that they were trying to reject a future confession. Far from that! But, with how they were…_

_Plus, their friend already had a lot to deal with, and the boy was angry at themselves for allowing the girl to suffer like this. It was his fault damn it! He shouldn't have left for a week and let them do that to her!_

_She stopped trying to draw and looked at the sloppy bangs dangling in front of her. "I don't want to either. But I want you to know that my parents don't know about what happened. I told them I decided to give myself a haircut…"_

_He let out a humorless laugh before he sighed. "You know they're gonna find out eventually."_

"_They won't. I won't let them, they already have a lot on their plate. They don't need to have to deal with fact their daughter is… weak."_

"_You're not weak!" He hated the way she thought like that, this wasn't how a girl should think._

"_I am." The way she spoke like it was a simple fact scared the boy. "I can't even help myself when you aren't here. So that means I'm weak, simple as that."_

"_Stop saying that." He whispered, gripping her shaking hand in his, tears threatening to overflow. He hated this. Hated this. Hated this._

"_I… am weak." She already felt the streaks on her cheeks. She remembered the screaming, the pulling, the name calling, and the scissors coming towards her._

_The two sat in the dark, crying in pain and frustration for the lives they lived._

"_I'm weak. I'm weak. I'm weak."_


	9. Countdown to Despair 1-3

**I feel like passing out. I hope you guys like what we did. A whole rewrite on the intros and this too. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Memory Theater 4**

_Memory Theater_

"_Hey did you hear about what happened to them?"_

"_Oh, you mean what happened to their brother last week."_

_A gaggle of schoolgirls were huddled together, whispering and gossiping as most would do. Class had just ended and lunch had begun; a few kids were already eating, some in the cafeteria, others out off campus, and a few eating with friends in other classes. They decided to eat at their desk in what they thought would be peace and quiet, if not for the incessant chatter._

_It was all pointless anyway, because they were sitting at their desk no more than a few feet away from them, trying to at least push down the bland sandwich their mother prepared for them. Gross. She put mayonnaise in it. Can't anyone do anything right? At least they had some chips and soda to clear the taste away. And can those whores stop talking when they could hear every fucking thing they're saying? Just shut up, all of you; no more pathetic lies._

"_I heard he was like a super psycho who listened to the voices in his head. That's why he… you know." That's a lie, it's a lie. Shut up._

"_Well, I heard that he was like super depressed because he got rejected from like, college or something. Can you believe that?" False, he got accepted easily, the tests were too easy._

_They, they didn't want to hear any more. Where are her earphones? Maybe she can drown out the babble of stupidity with some music and then maybe she can resume her consumption on the B-B-Q flavored potato chips. _

_One of the whores whispered to another, but it was pointless. "Keep it down! They're right there and I bet they can hear us."_

"_Who cares? What, you think they'll go tattle or something? What good would that do?" That slut was the leader of the group it seemed. "Nothing's gonna bring that loser brother of theirs back!" The room became deathly quiet, but that didn't matter. That wouldn't matter to someone like herself, who enjoyed the serene silence of a room, but that bitch was a liar. That bitch was a whore, a slut, a mere conquest for the pig that dare call themselves students at this school. _

_No calm down. _

_Think logically. _

_What's it weight again? _

_Ah, so then…_

_With the right amount of force applied in its direction…_

_Question: If someone was angry enough should they simply bottle their feelings?_

_Another question: Does anyone care that the ringleader had a face of chair and suffered a mild concussion, possibly have to live the rest of their insignificant life with complications on the brain?_

_Time's up. The correct answer was no._

* * *

**4 Days Left**

"Good morning everyone! This is Mononeko wishing you all another glorious day today. It is now Daytime, so the plaza is now fully open to everyone. Please enjoy yourselves in this wonderful city life!"

The daily morning announcement was still annoying as ever, but at least it helped Auruka wake up. She got up, wiped the sleep from her eyes, and walked to her drawer to get her clothes. The drawer had the same two duplicates as when she first looked in it, but one bundle was actually her clothes when she first got here, now cleaned and pressed. Apparently, if she put her dirty clothes in the drawer, they would be cleaned by her supervisors.

That aside, she knocked on the door to Hanako's room to let her know she was up, and went to the shower. She shed the light blue flannel pajamas that she was picked out from before, letting her thoughts unravel as the spray hit her scalp.

Yesterday hadn't revealed anything to help them escape. The only thing that the Defense Attorney's group learned was that the fences were set to char flesh. Of course they didn't use anyone, just a slice of beef from the kitchen, but it was still a grim reminder of their situation. Nobody had any information to use for their advantage and everyone was started to get antsy.

"_Puhuhu, I see everyone is starting to get stressed out now." It was dinner time and the group had already discussed everything they found out around the plaza. Sadly, there were no leads on a way out, and the brother/sister duo had appeared in the midst of it. "No way out and a countdown to death, I wonder what would help calm them down." Monokuma was twirling on the table with Mononeko clapping along. "Does anyone know the correct answer?"_

_The cat raised her hand. "I know, I know! Some good old fashion murder and death! Oh big bro, can't you just see it? Can you?" _

_Diana was about to stand up, but Amane held her down. "Do you really think you can use such cheap tactics on us?" She asked. "Not all of us are idiots." _

"_You know, I feel like I should be offended even though you didn't look at me." Said Kaishi. _

"_But there's no way any of us are going to commit murder! We're all going to escape, so you can shove it up you're furry assholes and like it! You got it?!" Diana flipped off at the duo with both hands with a snarl, Amana palming her forehead in disappointment on the sideline._

"_Eh, why would they like having something inside them?" asked Yoshi. "I'm afraid I don't understand."_

"_I believe that Diana is referring to the sexual act of-"_

_Hanako stopped Miki from continuing. "Okazaki-san, don't you dare finish that sentence!"_

For some reason or another, the conversation had drifted to utter nonsense; so much for being the future of the world. Mandy had pointed out that Monokuma and Mononeko had left some time ago, but Auruka didn't want to think back on that. The only thing that kept flashing in her mind was the lack of progress.

After getting out of the shower and dressed, she walked out the bathroom and noticed Hanako staring at herself in the mirror on the dresser, deep in thought. Although with her grabbing her chest and squeezing really was putting a damper on her view on Hanako. She didn't know whether to alert the girl of her presence or just walk back into the bathroom and pretend that nothing happened.

The Medium took note at the reflection of Auruka, not even looking the slightest bit embarrassed. "Ah, Auruka-chan. You ready to get some breakfast?" She still hadn't taken her hands of her breasts.

The Defense Attorney blinked, trying to get a bearing on the girl none as Hanako. "Yeah, but what were you doing in front of my mirror? It looked kind of… private."

She gave the same look that everyone had grown accustomed with Miki, leaving Auruka a bit nervous. She finally put her hands off her chest before asking, "Auruka-chan, how did you get your chest size?"

That caught her off guard. "Why are you asking something like that?!" she sputtered, her face aflame. "That's definitely not something to ask someone and you really should know better!" She definitely wasn't expecting her to ask something so outrageous! And why her of all people? Auruka could accept the fact she was barely breaking a C cup, but why would Hanako want advice from a girl like that?

Ignoring the red face, Hanako said "Sorry, I'm just curious really. I just figured that's something girlfriends talk about. Don't they?" She started to look slightly apprehensive and tried to look anywhere besides Auruka's face. "I mean, Grandpa and I would see movies with girls acting all friendly and giggling with each other, and I figured that since we're friends…" She puffed out her cheeks in some form of pout.

Auruka felt a little bad from her little outburst and tried to quell the scarlet on her face. "I'm sorry about snapping- that just surprised me. But why would you think that's what girls would do from movies? Don't you have friends where you lived?" Auruka had never once had a conversation like this with any of her friends. Come to think of it, Hanako never did talk about her past life before waking up in the city.

She let out the air in her cheeks. "Well it's just that… I did have friends in the beginning, but once you mention the word 'spirits'… people stop wanting to see you." Hanako didn't give any indication to her emotions, leaving a blank face like Miki.

"Sorry." Said Auruka, feeling more like a jerk than ever. "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

Hanako looked up at Auruka, her face full of surprise. "No no no, Auruka-chan! There was no bad memories at all! I just never really hung around other people my age. Most times, I hung around old geezers and widows, or the occasional occult freak. So I just want us to be best friends now!"

Seeing her resolve her little issue on her own, Auruka tried to smile at the brunette. "Okay, but why don't we start with a simpler conversation. How about tonight we just talk and gossip like high-school girls should? We can talk about breast size another day." Better to play along and try to add some humor back to the situation.

Besides, Hanako honestly looked better with a smile. It made her look cute.

"Yeah, it's a date, Auruka-chan!"

* * *

Breakfast came and went and the girls were in the same store from two days ago with Isamu and Kaishi, but for a different reason than simply finding proper sleepwear. Mandy, who assigned herself leader despite other's qualms, had decided that the best course of action would be a smoke signal. It seemed primitive, but they were grasping straws with finding a way out.

And Auruka hoped that that was the only thought on everyone's minds.

"Man this bites." She looked in the direction of Kaishi as he was standing near a shelf of slippers. "Why did Dimuc want us to search in a clothing store? I thought she said we needed to make a smoke signal or something, you know?" He picked up a pair of slippers that had the head of Monokuma and looked in slight disgust. "But I wouldn't mind burning this."

Isamu put his arm around Kaishi. "Oh my dear Kaishi-kun, you don't really understand do you?" He winked and gave a knowing smirk. "Dimuc-chan wants _us _to perform this job by giving us a near impossible task, so that when we succeed she'll see that we truly are amazing men who can do anything for her!" He crossed his arms and gave a hearty laugh, not noticing the glare Kaishi giving him.

"But didn't Dimuc-san tell everyone to search wherever they can?" Isamu's laughter halted from Hanako's observation. "In fact, you volunteered to search the store after Morita-kun and Auruka-chan did."

Isamu sighed dramatically. "Hanako-chan, do I detect a hint of jealousy in your tone?" He gave a smile that made Auruka want to slap him. "While alluring, it definitely doesn't fit your character, so how about you stay 2-D for me?" It seemed that three days still wasn't enough for anyone to get used to Isamu's antics; Kaishi had beaten Auruka to the punch by slapping the Good Luck upside the head.

Ignoring the cry of pain the trio continued to look around for anything that could help start a fire.

For the first minute, it was nothing but silent searching, with the occasional grumble from Isamu, before Auruka broke it. "So… how are things?"

"Sucky." "Shit." "I'm feeling peachy, Auruka-chan."

That needed rephrasing. "Eh… right. What I meant was, well, how are you guys holding up?" Although Auruka didn't want to accept it, she needed to at least keep an eye on how the rest are holding up.

She glanced at the flashing four on her wrist.

Kaishi took a moment before speaking. "I guess it's just, like not really… real, you know? It doesn't really feel like that we're trapped or anything. I mean, this really just feels like a big rip-off."

"Why a rip-off?" asked Hanako.

"Because we didn't get to go to Hope's Peak, that's why! I mean I really wanted to go! A school that has some of the best young athletes in the world and I get to be a student with them." Auruka could understand how he felt, all of them could.

"I could've swam laps against the Super High School Level Swimmer, or trained with the Super High School Level Coach, or get to witness the sheer strength of the Super High School Level Fighter, but no, I'm stuck in some god damn city and told to murder to survive!" His voice was getting louder the more he voiced his opinion, startling the trio. He coughed into his fist in embarrassment when he took notice.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all preachy."

"No no, Morita-kun, I felt the same way." Hanako gave one of her trademark smiles. "I was excited to get a chance to meet the Super High School Level Fortune Teller and Animal Breeder and compare notes on the dark arts." Auruka could feel herself sweat drop at Hanako's declaration. How would an animal breeder know anything about the dark arts?

"Besides Hanako-chan, I can relate as well." Placing his thumb underneath his chin, Isamu flaunted his other hand. "I was disappointed as well, what with someone like me not being able to get a chance to meet such exquisite beauties." Veins began to pulse. "Ah, but it's still not a total disappointment- all the girls here are such delights, well save for Dimuc-chan." The Defense Attorney chose to ignore him before she did something she regretted.

"It does seem really cheap." She said to Kaishi. "I also wanted a chance to meet some of the smartest people in the other classes. Believe me, a chance to meet a real detective is kind of a dream come true." Add the fact that she was also a girl was another thing Auruka was looking forward to.

"When I got my letter I jumped at the chance to leave home." He noticed the curiosity in their eyes. "My mom and pain-in-the-ass sister were not the best people to live with and dad always traveled a lot. That letter was my chance to get out of there, but now that we're here…" He sighed and put his arms behind his head, leaving it at that.

Isamu nodded at the Water Polo Player's end and gazed at the girls as if expecting something. Auruka gave a glare back, but Hanako decided to humor him. "So Minobe-kun, do you want to give us a bit of your past?"

He gave a faux expression of surprise. "Really now Hanako-chan? Well I don't want to brag…"

"Then don't talk." Muttered Kaishi.

"I was born the spoiled child in my family, the one who was loved and adored by everyone I was related to! It was no surprise that every female would want to marry someone like me or that every male was jealous of my popularity! Then I received my invitation to Hope's Peak and the entire family praised and celebrated on my good luck. In fact, I remember when…"

Hanako, who regretted what she had done, had decided to walk towards the back of the store while Osamu wasn't paying any mind and there, she took notice of an empty display case. It was the kind that looked to hold something expensive and next to it was a cardboard cutout of Mononeko with a speech bubble above her saying 'One-of-a kind!' Whatever was once in that case was definitely gone.

"I wonder, what was so important to keep in a glass case?" Hanako thought aloud.

"What was so important? Only an amazingly original product! Can't you read!?"

The shrill cry of Mononeko startled the Medium, who nearly jumped in fright. Appearing from behind the cutout, the cat tapped the glass cage. "Miss Hanako, for someone who deals with the paranormal, you can easily get spooked. Feeling a bit jittery? Befuddled? Constipated?

"Don't think you can fool me with made up words." She retorted. "What was in that case that's so one-of-a kind anyway?"

Hanako was expecting something like jewelry, or an heirloom, maybe even a map to some kind of secret treasure hidden under a complex labyrinth of-

"Just two little onesies."

What? It took a few seconds for her brain to comprehend what it said, albeit with mass confusion. "Did you just say an onesie? Like, the pajamas that are just basically a full on outfit." Hanako could recall when she used to wear one, a little Hello Kitty that she wore when she was eight, but why would they think to put something like that in a case? Did they wish to show everyone how cute it was?

"You guessed correctly Miss Hanako that is indeed what was in the case! An original design, modeled after my big bro, suitable for one of you lucky girls to wear! Oh and FYI, there also a male version based off me, but sadly it seems that someone else also took it."

"That's nice Mononeko, but I actually don't care." She ignored the shrill 'what?!' and smiled. "I'm just trying to find something to burn down for Dimuc-san. Oh, maybe this cardboard you will work!" She went to pick up the cutout, but Mononeko ran in front of it waving her paws.

"Nonononono! That's exactly why I'm here! My big bro and I need to let you guys know that burning down property is a definite no no! That means arson is not allowed while we're partaking in this field trip!"

"Hey, you can't deny us a right to set fire to stuff! We have a right!" she whined, adding in the foot stomping and pouting.

"I can and I will, watch!" Twirling in a circle, Mononeko began humming before releasing a large PING!

There was a vibration in Hanako's skirt pocket and reaching in, she took out her ElectroID, it automatically turning on. The screen showed the rules, but now an additional rule was now added to the list.

11\. Property of any kind CANNOT be destroyed outside of murder! : P

Hearing a shout of surprise from the other side of the store deflated Hanko's confidence on a chance to escape. Obviously, Mandy and the others would receive that by now. So now what? Would someone… no don't dwell on that!

"Oh well, too bad, so sad! But them's the rules! Nyahahaha!" Mononeko guffawed, noticing the change of face on the Medium. "And if you think that's bad, then just wait until tomorrow!"

Hanako was near tears at this point. "Why" she began. "Why are you doing this to us?" But she received no response.

Mononeko was gone.

* * *

"_Damn it!_" Akihisa slammed his fist on the table, the few plates on the table shaking slightly. He ignored the wave of pain and snarled; Kousuke was feeling the food go down the wrong pipe. "Those two are fucking with us now! They got no right to change the rules-"

"They do, so shut up. Whining isn't going to help us out of here, so quit it." Despite the authoritive tone, Amane was cradling her head, hiding behind her blonde hair. "They make the rules, we follow them. That's the only solution."

"So you're saying we should just murder each other?! That may be okay for a spy, but I'm not like you!"

"Well, I'm glad I'm the one who carries the title then. A lot of help a swordsman could do without his sword."

Akihisa looked furious and clenched his hands. "At least I'm less of a threat to everyone. For all we know, you could have about twenty-five ways to murder just one of us."

Diana stood up. "Hey, both of you stop this! Shut up about everything and sit down and enjoy the god damn meal that Sora tried so hard to make for us, by_ herself_ I should add!" she took a pause and looked at Kanade. "Hey Maiyuri, why didn't she want you and the other's help?"

The Pianist tried to sink down into her seat to no avail. "She said she wanted to do it by herself this time. It's just a light meal, so I thought nothing of it."

"Oh, okay." She gave a childish grin before she turned back at the (no longer) arguing pair. "I don't want to hear another word about murder now, you got that? Mention again and I will make you a target for my knife throwing skills, and let me tell you, I am just a beginner!" Letting out a huff, she sat back down, hoping that she actually settled things.

Finishing the last bite of her plate, Amane let out a sigh before muttering "I do have thirty, only for you if you keep it up."

"Hey, are you actually agreeing to murder one of us!? Huh?!" Amane chose to then ignore whatever Akihisa would say, leaving the atmosphere heavy and unpleasant with the other thirteen. "Answer me!?"

Amane said nothing and that only continued to fuel the Swordsman's rage, but then he stood in silence. At first, the others thought he was trying to cool down, and Sora had exited the kitchen with two plates in hand, seemingly not taking note of the silence. When it was clear who she was walking towards, a few tried to make a sign to alert her (Auruka did the slicing neck motion with her hand), but sadly it did nothing.

"Futonomi-san, I hope you enjoy your meal." She said timidly. She proceeded to sit down next to him and begin eating, a look of fear on her face. There seemed to be some evidence that she was holding back tears. Did she hear what Akihisa said from the kitchen?

"_Soracchi." _Keiichi whispered from across the table, trying to get her attention. She did, and when she was about to ask what, Akihisa spoke.

"I'm going to my room." He turned to look back at the group. "Let me explain something. One of us is going to die first, and it isn't going to be me. So take whatever you guys believe and just drop it." He then left, leaving the group in somber silence

It was a moment, before Diana spoke up, her fists clenching. "I'm going to go to bed early. Thanks for the food Sora." She picked up her plate and Akihisa's and went to place them back in the kitchen before leaving.

Slowly, but surely, others followed in leaving the table. Hanako had told Auruka she was going to the store, leaving her, Yoshi, Miki, Keiichi, and Sora alone. The Pastry Chef was still trying to stomach her meal, and Keiichi was patting her head, avoiding misaligning her crown. Auruka could try to leave now, but after staying for a while, it would be too awkward to get up.

But what Akihisa and Amana arguing about… Is it bad that she can see what they were possibly wishing to do? They had wasted three days doing absolutely nothing productive, and there was a chance that either all of them would die or only one person would die, and she didn't want either to come true.

"Miss Sora, are you alright?" asked Yoshi, clear concern on his face. "Did you happen to hear Futonomi's and Miss Ikeda's quarrel?" She slightly nodded. "I assure you that regardless of their actions, there is no need to worry of them committing something heinous as murder. Isn't that right Miss Okazaki?"

"At my best estimate, at this time it seems that the only one capable of murder could very well be Nathaniel, or as he seems to be addressed as Van." Yoshi dropped his head on Miki's shoulder, shaking it in what looked like disappointment.

"Miss Okazaki, I don't think that's reassuring to Miss Sora's feelings."

"I was only wishing to lay down a comedic troupe, gomepe."

"You mean to say I'm sorry." Miki nodded and patted on Yoshi's head. The little act of affection definitely meant something was up with those to, Auruka thought. Actually, those two seemed to be inseparable since they arrived; Miki was always holding his hand and helping him know what was going on and so forth.

Keiichi was resting his chin on his hand and pushed away Sora's plate from her. "Yomohirocchi, I want to ask you something. You're the Super High School Level Storyteller, but you can't see anything. Isn't that… what's the word again Soracchi? Like when you press clothes?" The Cheer Captain did raise a valid point. Auruka was also a bit curious regarding Yoshi's condition and his title.

"Irony." Sora muttered, one of the chopsticks hanging from her mouth. "Kei-chan, I don't think you should-"

"Right, irony! It's irony that you're a storyteller and blind! So what's the deal Yomohirocchi, with you being blind and telling stories?" Sora said nothing, but for some reason started to blush.

The Storyteller looked to be in deep thought before replying with a smile. "Well, just because I'm blind, it doesn't mean I can't tell stories now, but I wasn't blind in the beginning. I was born a sickly child and have been ever since. Most of the time I spent my life in the hospital, the only thing changing was the seasons from my window."

He wasn't able to see the look of shock on their faces. "But the one thing that kept me going was reading books that a nurse gave me. Every day, I would leave my sanitized prison of pristine and delve into a realm of fantasy, only to be brought back to the chains of reality that I call my body the moment I begin to cough. So from that point own, I would request parchment and pen in order to record my desires and dreams and bring a new light to many a desperate soul. I touch upon the ideals and complications that hound and old experience every waking day, allowing them to fall into a stare of euphoria and experience the joys that I have encountered from my bountiful imagination." The looks of shock either remained or evolved into states of adoration; Miki simply blinked. "Although when I lost my sight, I had to rely on Miss Okazaki to assist me for a few years, but that was just another bridge to cross."

It took the Defense Attorney a few seconds to catch on what Yoshi said, her head trapped in the beauty of Yoshi's talent, but what he said reminded her on an earlier conversation.

"You said that Okazaki-san was with you all those years? Why would she be with you?" The little thought was on the dot when Miki answered fir her.

"Yomohiro and I are childhood friends from before our arrival in this city. He wished for that to remain in confidentiality, but it appears that he has delivered a fluke."

Bingo. Yoshi didn't looked shocked that Miki revealed the information, but simply a tad bit disappointed that he really made such a simple mistake. Oh well.

Keiichi had his mouth open like a fish, and Sore pushed it up. "Yomohirocchi? Is what Okazakicchi saying true?" he asked.

He simply nodded. "That's correct. Miss Oka- no, _Miki _and I have been friends since childhood. I just felt that it wasn't the proper to tell anyone during the time, especially considering our predicament with those two."

"So then is that why you call Okazaki-san Miss Okazaki?" asked Auruka.

"Yes, but I actually did that whenever I was in public with her. Back then, I called myself her assistant and would follow her when we were children, so the whole thing kinda stayed with me. It's a bit funny, don't you think?"

"Not funny," Auruka said. "But I think it's kind of cute. It's nice to have someone you know to be with you, although that means you're both a part of this." She couldn't really think what would happen if one of her friends were a part of this game. "It's better to be strangers than friends here."

"Michocchi, we're not friends?"

The Defense Attorney inwardly cringed from the nickname the Cheer Captain gave her, but before she could say something, she heard sniffling.

Automatically recognizing who it belonged to, and hoping to stop the disaster from happening, she and the others tried to reassure Sora that everything was all right.

"Miss Sora, what Miss Auruka meant didn't apply to you!"

"Yeah, I was just being dumb! I didn't actually mean it to you and the others, no way!"

"Sora, you need to stop your tear ducts from overflowing."

Sora began whimpering and sniffling, trying to talk but all that came out was a blubber of incomprehensible sounds. In possibly a few seconds, she would perform her usual routine of running away and crying, making the remaining people look down on Auruka for screwing up and making the Pastry Chef feel bad. Again.

On the verge of getting up however, a pair of hands came from behind and began squeezing her cheeks and twisting them. The odd display left the two bewildered and Miki observing, but Sora began to fidget and complain.

"Klei-cha wha ur yuo doin?" she managed to say. Keiichi didn't say anything as he continually harassed her face with a smile, and Auruka noted that Sora's tears had stopped, her face only mild annoyance. Seeing an emotion besides nervousness on her face was something of a rare experience.

"When someone's sad, you turn their frown upside down." He sang, peering down at her. "Although, it's hard to make it look like you're smiling from this view Soracchi. Ah… There we go! Now you're smiling."

What looked like a smile to Keiichi didn't really look like a smile to the others, but nonetheless Sora had stopped crying. She looked at the various faces on the group and peeked up at Keiichi's smiling face, before snorting in laughter; Keiichi looked satisfied with himself and sat back down next to the laughing blonde, ruffling her hair as she started wiping the tears from her eyes.

Auruka didn't really know what to say from that event, but she could see that Keiichi actually handled Sora. It actually was the only time that anyone could handle Sora's usual routine, and to make her smile at that!

"It appears that Keiichi has resolved the problem labeled as a Sora incident. Explain how you had accomplished this."

Keiichi looked towards Miki. "What I know is how to make people happy, that's all. Soracchi was sad, so I had to make her smile again. That's the one thing I love doing, especially when I see Soracchi." He grinned at her and she returned the smile.

"So does that mean you guys have actually known each other before? Like Okazaki-san and Yomohiro-kun?"

Before he could open his mouth- surprisingly- Sora answered, shaking her head. "Kei-chan and I have only met each other a few times at sporting events. What, what I mean is that I would see him in the city for one reason or another. We… we only talked for a bit and then some, and he would buy a cake or two. Most times, he would bring his cheer team to my family's restaurant for an after-game meal."

"You own a restaurant?" asked Auruka.

The Pastry Chef slightly nodded. "Yeah, well actually my parents do." She started looking nervous again, but smiled. "It's where I learned to cook most of the food you eat. I really," she paused. "Really love cooking and making people happy."

"Yeah, Soracchi and I would be considered best friends even! Although you can't be friends with someone who keeps going to foreign countries and social event, but we manage to get through together. Right, Soracchi?"

Agreeing with him, Sora stood up and began picking up the various plates from the table. "I think I should help out with Dimuc-san's plan, so I'm just going to go put the plates up now. Um, if you're all done with the meal."

Auruka took that as a queue to leave, hoping to get some things for her and Hanako's little thing. Maybe some snacks from the store and drinks?

"It was nice talking to you guys, but I think Hanako-chan is probably all by her lonesome or something, so I going to go see her. Thanks for the meal, Sora-chan!"

"It, it was my pleasure… Auru-chan!" She turned to the now flushed face of Sora from calling back. Auru-chan? Was that supposed to be her new nickname?

"Ah, I'm sorry if you don't like it! I should have asked for permission!" She tried to bow in forgiveness, but almost fell over from how fast she brought her head down, the plates she was carrying almost toppling over. Fortunately, Keiichi managed to stop that catastrophe and tried to bring her head back up.

"No, it's okay." Auruka said reassuringly. "I think it's nice and I kind of was expecting to get one, so don't worry Sora. You can call me whatever you want as long."

"Really?"

"Really."

The Pastry Chef couldn't help but began to tear up again. "Thank you, Auru-chan!"

The Defense Attorney could only smile as the girl tried to stop herself from crying, Keiichi laughing while Yoshi and Miki observed their friend's actions. It seems that with people like this, maybe there wouldn't be any killing done.

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_She remembered lighting incense during visits to her grandparents. Her mother always told her how her grandmother always loved the smell of the burning fragrance that followed from the burning stick and she always associated its smell with her family. Even now, the young girl goes through many a trial just to bring incense to her grandmother and grandfather, no matter what her parents said was too dangerous._

_The gentle wind spread the cinnamon around the gravestone, leaving the atmosphere of the wreckage just a tad bit more peaceful. She already felt her hands stop trembling, her grip on the gun loosening. The sun was close to setting meaning that they only had a few more minutes before they had to leave. They were more rowdy when dark would come, leaving them invisible to any unsuspecting fool._

"_Mother, father," said the other to the gravestone they were bowing to. "I'm sorry I haven't visited you guys in a while." She smiled at the near pristine condition the stone was in. "I'm just glad I have a chance to speak to you like this. Even though you no longer exist on the dimensional plane that mirrors our world, I just hope my words can reach you."_

_She felt like she was interrupting something, but her friend gave no indication they wanted her to leave and she was grateful. If anything happened to one of her friends… She didn't want to think about that kind of stuff. "…she's really a nice girl once you get to know her, but she still makes the scariest lens glare!" She snapped out of her thoughts, listening to them telling tales of the others. Hopefully, they wouldn't exaggerate like they usually do._

"_Oh, but the commander is such a cool person and they make sure everyone is always full of hope! Naegi-san definitely taught her well, and to pass on the title! I was really excited when I learned what title she was!" The bubbling excitement was something she was used to, but it seemed to have multiplied once they set eyes on their parents. They continued to bring up more current topics regarding their family and social life, getting breathless a few times. This was definitely something that she was used to seeing with her new friend._

_But they weren't really a new friend, in fact they really have been friends for at least a year; same for everybody else._

"_Hey, Ru-chan, you want to say anything to my mom and dad before we go?"_

"_Huh? R-really? Okay."_

_Memory Theater End_

* * *

**So tired… Murder is definitely gonna happen. Next time. Please review.**


	10. Countdown to Despair 1-4

**This will be the last Memory Theater for this chapter, but we wish to discuss something. As you all may have already know, each Memory Theater involves a certain character or characters. Well we ask you if you could, do you know who is who in each Theater? That is going to be a recurring thing here, but it won't be nothing. Anyone who wishes to answer will send a PM with every character involved by each chapter in order from 1-1 to 1-4. All character's that have a part are from this story. **

**Whoever gives a correct answer on all Memory Theater's together will receive a code that when deciphered will give a hidden message that will reveal something regarding the story environment and other; if that person who receives the code wishes to, they can allow us to release the message in the next chapter, or not. It's all up to you whether or not the others will learn something. See it's basically a way for all the OC creators to at least interact, because we met (PMed) you guys and you guys are just as cool as your OCs!**

**Anyway that's just simple rambling, so here is part one of the final Memory Theaters for chapter 1.**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_She couldn't stop crying, no matter what. But what would happen if she kept crying? She heard the other kids say that if you cried too much you would dry up because your body had no water left in it and that only made her cry harder. Only when the caretaker would come was when they stopped bothering her. 'Just a few more weeks,' she thought. 'A few more weeks and I can leave this place.'_

_A few weeks became a month, then two, then three._

_It's been two years since she has been put in the orphanage following her parent's deaths._

_She didn't want to remember anything about that night or the other night. There was no way her parents would be watching over her like they said, they were dead. The little eight-year-old girl wrapped her arms around her legs and brought her forehead to rest on her knees. Maybe if she stays like this, then everything would just ignore, letting her sleep in the…what was it called again? Oh right, despair._

_Yeah, let her sleep in despair; no one would be able to bully her anymore. She just wants the whole thing to go. But please, let the voices leave her head, God let them leave!_

_She could feel it again, the feeling that someone else was watching her. Nononononnonononono…_

_Was it the ghost again, back to apologize again? Were they going to wail and beg that they were sorry for leaving her alone? Or would it be the kids who want to play with her? The ones that never left this place always wanted to talk to her, but she didn't want to be seen as an even bigger freak sop she pretended to not notice._

_She hid her head deeper in herself, hoping to make herself so small that she could disappear. The sound of the door creaking open wanted her to disappear. Usual when the stuff moved that meant they were angry at her; she would have to come up with another excuse for her bruises._

_She couldn't help it when her eyes felt wet. She thought she already cried enough to make an ocean. There were footsteps, but they were different from how the kids or the caretaker walked. Was it the ghosts? Are they… are they walking to her?_

_No this wasn't happening. She didn't want this. She wanted to go back home, to her mommy and daddy and their house with her happy memories. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home. She wanted to go home. Shewantedtogohome. Shewantedtogohomeshewantedtogohomeshewantedtogohomeshewanted-_

_The gentle palm of her head was a surprise. It began to ruffle her curly hair in an affectionate manner, reminding her of when her mommy always did it for her being a good girl. Remembering her mommy only made her tears fall faster._

"_You poor girl, how long you must have suffered." It was a gentle, elderly voice. She only wanted to see what kind of spirit had decided to visit her, so she lifted her head up a little._

_It was an old man, but she felt like she should know him._

"_My dear little Hanako, I'm so sorry for making you wait." Said the kind old man._

* * *

**3 days Left**

Considering that she now woke to the morning announcement on the dot was only a grim reminder on how long Auruka was here. But how can this affect her greatly in only four days?

Groaning, she placed her pillow over her face, wondering how long it would take to smother herself. That probably wouldn't work anyway; the carnival prize duo would probably resuscitate her before they even had a murder that wasn't caused by her friends.

She lifted the pillow off her pouting face before taking what she thought into focus: friends. Well obviously some of the other students were friendly, but the one she clicked with instantly was Hanako. Though, she could become friends with most of them if she tried, except maybe Akihisa, Amane, or god forbid Nathaniel; those three could kill her with looks alone. Well Diana and Sora would be okay to hang out with, maybe Kousuke and Keiichi too.

Getting out of bed and performing her (sadly) normal routine when waking up, she started a shower and manage to avoid on Hanako as she was still sleeping on the floor. The rules never did specify that a student had to sleep in their room, so Hanako took that as an excuse to sleep over. Maybe it was because of the sugar crash she was having last night from their little sleep over, but Auruka felt a lot better with Hanako with her.

She finished up and had dressed, giving herself a quick look-over from the mirror. She felt a bit uncomfortable that this was the outfit she woke up in when she arrived in the city, but there wasn't anything that showed it was dirty so it seemed okay to wear. She took a glance on the watch, the number 3 a grim reminder on the sixteen's fate. If they really couldn't find a way out, then that would mean-

She shook her head, hoping to dispel any negative thoughts. She had to focus on something else, like why Hanako was still asleep.

"Hanako-chan wake up, please." The makeshift bed she was wrapped in was the only way the Medium could feel comfortable; the bed could barely hold the two when Hanako suggested it. She lightly shook the girl as a means to get her up. "Hanako-chaaaaan, get up and stop being lazy." She playfully whined.

The brunette cracked her eyes open slightly, before she tried to sink back into the covers.

"Auruka-chan, I don't want to get up."

"Why's that?"

She peeked out from the blankets leering at the Defense Attorney, allowing her a brief glance at the black t-shirt, which was accompanied with light blue pajama bottoms. "Because then Monokuma and Mononeko will bother us like they do every day." She did have a point. "Hey Auruka-chan, why don't we stay in bed all day? You and I could snuggle for warmth in my blankets and spend the whole day napping and ignore today like it never happened." She gave a cheeky grin up at Auruka.

Only for Auruka to pinch her nose at Hanako's ridiculous proposition, only a blank stare being the immediate response.

"Wahh! Auruka-cha let go of by dose! I'm sorry!" Giving a slight giggle, Auruka released Hanako's nose from her clutches; Hanako rubbed her nose and tried to see if there was any lasting damage before getting up to see in the mirror. Auruka didn't know why, but she felt a lot better when she played around with the Medium.

Just being with Hanako was enough for Auruka to be in a good mood, like there was something about her that just made Auruka feel less afraid of this whole thing. Hanako Amaya was a girl that Auruka could see herself being friends with for a long time, maybe if they had gone to Hope's Peak instead of this stupid city. If, no _when_ they escape from this place, Auruka would do more normal things with her like go shopping, eating crêpes, maybe even going to the same school together if fate allowed it.

"Auruka-chan is it okay if I can use your bathroom? After I change we can go get breakfast with the others."

Looking up towards her friend, she answered "Yeah, just make it quick or else Kurosawa-kun will eat it all before we can get there."

The Medium giggled. "Alright."

* * *

Breakfast had come and gone just as quickly, but everyone was halted from doing anything by the Super High School Level Brainiac. Mandy had wished for everyone to listen to what she said, including the kitchen staff – Sora looked slightly nervous, while Kanade and Diana tried to reassure her – about what she wished to propose.

Despite not being on her list of people who could kill with their looks, Auruka was still apprehensive on how to view Mandy as. She wasn't really friendly with anyone, but she wasn't rude either, so she didn't know where to place the bespectacled girl. She could probably be able to describe her as strong, like in her leadership skills; hard to crack possibly, but that was just her opinion.

"Now I know that over the last four days we have yet to actually discover anything about our whereabouts." Auruka was brought out of her thoughts. "Nor have we managed to find a suitable means of escape, and that is brought to the timer that we all carry."

"So you're basically recanting all that we already know." Nathaniel didn't looked satisfied with what he was given. "If that's the case, then why bother?" He began to get up.

"You better sit your ass down right now Van or I'm going to make you." Diana didn't looked pleased with the Fencer's attitude, so she wanted to nip it in the bud. Sure he may have given a little compliment to Sora the other day, but really it was just a critique on her food! He didn't even seem like the kind to help any of them and that was something Diana wouldn't go for.

The silver haired man halted only to give a frightening glare to the Street Performer; Diana couldn't disregard the slight shiver she felt in her spine.

"What. Did you just call me?"

Not backing down, she went on. "I said Van, because you know, it's what Monokuma and Mononeko called you. It had to be some sort of nickname that you have, but it did get your attention. So sit down and listen to what Mandy has to say." For some reason, Nathaniel didn't seem to like being called Van. Wonder what it meant and why those two knew it.

Auruka noticed that Sora was trembling slightly behind Diana, possibly afraid from the previous day regarding Akihisa.

Whether or not he took notice of the smaller girl, he looked like he wanted to retort, but he sat back down as Diana instructed, huffing in annoyance. "Call me Van again and see what happens." He muttered, but no one paid no mind.

So it seems that Nathaniel is no longer rank three on the top scary people here, Auruka thought.

"Thank you for that… that Diana." Mandy cleared her throat, wishing to get back on track. "Anyway, regarding our situation, we have yet to find any way out. For that, I suggest a simple solution."

Jude stood up in fear. "Wait a bloody minute here! Are you, are you actually considering what they said and we murder someone?! Have you lost your marbles girl?" The rush of fear showed various levels on the group, but before anyone could start panicking Mandy held up her hand as a means for them to quiet.

"I didn't say that. I said I had a solution, but I didn't specify that we would go along with what Monokuma and Mononeko said. My solution to escape this game is pretty simple that it's a wonder why we didn't allow it in the first place." Jude felt a breath of relief and sat back down, now hopeful on what magnificent plan the Brainiac had in store.

"We simple wait for our timers to run out and die."

There was silence for only a few seconds before outbursts and exclamations of fear rang throughout the cafeteria.

"W-what the hell!?" screamed Kaishi.

Sora crouched down into a ball. "Eyaaah, anything but that!"

"Dimucchi, are you… are you serious?!" Keiichi half-yelled.

"Y-you," Auruka muttered. "You're serious about this aren't you?" Her eyes widened when the Brainiac nodded solemnly.

"Heh, so that's what you had in store for us," Auruka turned towards Amane, who appeared as if she was half listening with her head lying on the table. "In order for us not to kill each other, you want us to die together in some sort of suicide pact if I'm hearing correctly." She even made of show of cleaning her ear with her pinky and flicking off the imaginary grime. "I honestly wonder how long you waited to pull off something like this."

Mandy didn't appear to be amused with the Spy. "And what is _that _supposed to mean… Amane was it?" The group had quieted down, not knowing what to do.

"I would prefer if you use my family name, Ikeda. I know how confusing the Japanese are to those from across the sea." Mandy only matched the smirk that Amane was giving, not even looking the least bit fazed. "And I simply am wondering on why a smart girl like you would even consider doing something as shameful and stupid as a joint suicide. The whole thing sounds like something that you hastily came up with last night." The sarcasm was just dripping off every single word; this was actually the most anyone had heard from the blonde since day one.

Mandy only offered a small smile that held no emotion. "Well, if you have something against it, then I can honestly wonder which of us you will consider murdering then Miss Ikeda."

"Yes, I also want to know who she'll murder." "Or maybe she'll be the one murdered instead."

Lo and behold, the two masterminds appeared once again, this time from behind the Pastry Chef who was startled by them; Sora jumped and managed to at least fall into the nearest person's arms, immediately pushing herself away from Akihisa in embarrassment and fear.

"But really you guys, you're just gonna bite the dust without giving a fight?" The neon cat shook her head in disappointment. "I thought you guys were gonna be a tough class, but I honestly am shocked to say the least. To think that the City Life of Mutual Killing would only with no killing, such despair I'm feeling!"

"Yeah, besides did you guys really think you would spend three more days doing nothing? No way, no way! Listen up," Using Mononeko as support, Monokuma got on top of the table. "It's come to my attention that you bastards don't really get your situation." He raised his fist in the air. "So we decided to release something to you lucky runts."

"What are you playing now, bear?" asked Akihisa, his scarf doing its best to cover a slight red dusting on his cheeks.

"Well it's a surprise that we placed in each and every one of your rooms, so we would like you all to report to said rooms. And I mean now, so hurry up!

There was something that didn't settle with Auruka. "Exactly what's waiting for us in our rooms?"

The animals only replied "It's a secret."

* * *

Auruka found herself in her room; the so-called surprise in her hand was nothing more than a little DVD that was placed on top of her bed. The words 'Motive' was scribbled on in childish characters as well as on the little card that said 'Put in here' that was on top of the little DVD player that was now in her room. It looked like it was connected to the monitor, and her curiosity got the best of her when she placed it inside the little box's slot and whatever was on started to play.

The screen was blue for only a few seconds before the scene shifted to what she saw was a familiar memory. Just seeing the blurry images clearing up sent a chill down the pinkette's spine.

How did… how did they get this?

_The video was shaky, mostly because the girl carrying it couldn't stop moving from excitement. She brought the camera into a moderate living room that was lit from the bright sunshine coming from the windows. Outside you could see the Tokyo Tower, almost the exact size as the one in her room, and the hustle bustle that she was used to looking at was continuing its usual life. The camera moved and the face of an excited and younger Auruka Micho gazed down the lens. She was probably ten when this video took place._

"_Okay, so daddy is coming home today and me and mom and my brothers are getting ready to see him at the airport, right mom?" The video was now showing a mature looking woman with a pink bob cut in a yellow summer dress._

"_Right, but _Ru-chan _dear please turn the camera off. We don't want it to die when we meet your father." Her mother walked over to a stairway shouting towards whoever was upstairs. "Ko-kun, Ichiro, you two had better be ready or else I'll-"_

_KZSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH_

The video had cut off for a split second before the static cleared, which was to be expected from what her mother told her; the video was now something Auruka had taken days later. She could recognize her bedroom from the various stickers that continued to stay even years later on her door. The little Auruka was sitting on her pink bed, her hair in disarray, wearing her school uniform.

"_I had so much fun today! When daddy came home and took a looooong nap, we all went out for dinner and this amazing restaurant! Then today, we went to the aquarium and I saw a lot of fishes, I even got to touch one." _She smiled fondly on that memory. _"It was so squishy and felt gross, but I loved it and they said we could go again next year if I'm good." _God, her younger self would always blab on and on whenever she did something. _Said girl smiled on the screen. "Maybe if I help daddy catch bad guys, then I get to go more than once a year."_ Ah, that's right. That's how it all began.

_A knocking came from her bedroom door and the young girl got up from her bed to open it._

Before she could see her father come into her room, the video cut off again, but Auruka never recalled the camera turning off. Before she could question it, the video resumed playing, but it wasn't anything that the Defense Attorney was prepared for.

It, it looked like her room, the one she had lived in only a few days ago before heading off to Hope's Peak, but there was something wasn't right about what happened to it. The lights were all off and yet she could see the mess it was in; the mattress was flung away from the bed frame, along with anything else that wasn't nailed down to the floor or possibly too heavy. Whoever was using the camera turned towards the window, Auruka gasping at the scene she was looking at outside.

Fires were ravaging houses nearby as they continued to eat up what were once homes to people that she was acquainted with. If memory served her (please let her be wrong), then some of her mother's friends lived in the one nearest to her house. She looked over farther and felt petrified; the roads were overrun with car wreckage and the disturbingly large splashes of pink.

The camera moved again, not allowing her to see more of the brutal scene- why would she? –and started heading out her room. Like her room, the house she grew up in was also brought to a shell of its former self. The picture of her beloved family dotting the walls were lying in broken glass, furniture was tossed around, and hideous gashes and holes were hard not to notice. Every second looking made her sick to her stomach.

Whoever this individual was, they stopped. It looked down at their feet, the mess of blood on their shoes pushing more bile to her throat, and what they were stepping on was disturbing to say the least.

One of the more recent photos of her family was rumpled and torn, but her family's smiles still carried on. This was around the time Auruka had finished one of her more time consuming cases; her family was in formal wear, but still did their best to make the picture work, with each of them making a peace sign towards the camera.

The only thing that wasn't supposed to be a part of it was the X's crossed over the faces, all except for Auruka who had a giant circle around her grinning mug. The video continued on that for a few more minutes, before the blue screen signaled the ending.

That was followed by the multitude of screams from all around her, snapping her out of whatever she was in and allowing her to fall to her knees; she probably didn't even realize she had started crying earlier, until she saw droplets hit the floor. "What… did I just?"

A furious banging came from the side door, before Hanako slammed the door open, her eyes frightened and brimming with tears.

"A-a-auruka-chan!" She rushed over to her friend and wrapped herself around the still petrified girl, sobbing uncontrollably into Auruka's shoulder. The other door had opened and the rest of the girls looked to be in the same kind of distress as Auruka suspected. Whatever they were shown was just as horrible as Auruka's was. Amane and Mandy looked like they were holding back, while Sora and Kanade were bawling and hugging each other. Even Miki was in semi-state of pain.

When it seemed that Hanako was able to at least stop herself from crying as much, she whimpered "It's… it's a lie isn't it? What we all saw wasn't real… it shouldn't be real. It shouldn't be…" She looked up at Auruka. "Auruka-chan, it's not real… is it?" She didn't know what to say.

"Oh my dear Hanako-chan, I'm really sorry, but…" Mononeko swung her legs from Auruka's bed. "It's all true, all true!"

"What exactly was that you showed us?" asked Mandy, her hands clenched.

"That's the motive for you guys now: the motivational videos you were all shown will help you in your desperate attempt to know what the heck happened to your family and such!" She giggled at the fear in her students eyes. "Come on come one you know you want to know what happened. I bet you want to know what happened to your mommy and daddy and your brothers, right Auruka-chan." Hanako felt Auruka stiffen in her embrace.

Mononeko looked at the group in the doorway. "Or what about Sora-chan and her parents, or Kanade-chan and her father? Miki-chan I know you want details on your two doting parental units. Or maybe Diana-chan wants to see her freak show family again?"

"Don't talk about the Midnight Maladies like that you damn cat!"

"Oh okay then." She sounded disappointed as she hopped off the bed. "You guys should use that rage for something else then. Say murder? Nyahahaha! See ya!" She disappeared this time by crawling under Auruka's bed, and only then was the Defense Attorney able to fully realize what just happened.

The cold fear grasped at her, clawing its way deep within her soul; her head was pounding for an unknown reason, fueling the onslaught of tears. She could feel herself losing her breath and wondered if she was suffering a panic attack. She could only grip Hanako as well, hoping to have something to anchor her away from this grim reality that she found herself in.

* * *

No one had the heart to even talk at all during dinner. It looked like the boys were given the same motivational video, as evident by a few empty stares. It freaked a few when Kousuke barely finished his plate and said he was full.

There was no arguing over what to do, how to escape, or any slander towards one another. Mandy was pulling the strands of her messy hair, Sora was trying hard to not burst into tears again, Yoshi had his face buried deep in his bunched up sweater, and Kaishi and Jude were trying hard to not break down as well. All Auruka could do was squeeze Hanako's hand.

Dinner had only lasted a few minutes before a few couldn't take it and ran out to their rooms.

Auruka found herself in her room again, the DVD player gone and the motivational video deep in the trash. She was lying on top of her, holding her badge up in the air and leering at it, like it was supposed to give her any advice on a way to get out of this mess.

"Why exactly am I doing something like this?" She sighed and let her arm flop down into the mattress. "Could pray for a miracle, but that would be stupid." Whatever happened in her home was something no miracle could help. She could only pray that her family was safe.

A knocking came from Hanako's room. "Come in." she said, and the mentioned Medium entered carrying a few sheets and a pillow. She didn't even question the reason why; Hanako and Auruka were going to have another sleep-over in her room. It was probably to be expected, considering how upset she was because of their motive.

"Auruka-chan, it's alright if I can stay here for tonight? I really don't want to be alone right now." It was evident that she had been crying recently, she still had half-wet streaks.

Getting off her bed, Auruka nodded. "It's fine Hanako-chan. I'm just hope you don't mind the floor again." She shook her head. "Then you can go to sleep here then, and I'll join you after I take a shower." She didn't really need to, but they helped her relax. "You can get ready and set your bed then."

She gave a small smile. "Thank you."

Auruka headed off to grab her pajamas and went to the bathroom, taking a quick shower, Hanako knocking on the door saying she was locking the bedroom door. Auruka had realized her mistake of taking a shower at night when the Night Time announcement rang and her water shut off. Exactly how long was she taking her shower, for when she stepped out she noticed how her skin was lightly wrinkled.

"Damn it."

Since she_ was_ now finished, she got dressed and opened the bathroom door into darkness.

She noticed the bundle of blankets at the foot of her bed; Hanako probably decided to go to sleep early, so Auruka should as well. She made urea not to step on her and got under the warmth of her bed and promptly drifted off, no longer caring about the small green glow from her wrist.

* * *

_Memory Theater_

"_At best we give him 'til his second year."_

"_I'm sorry to say that he may not make it to his fifth birthday."_

"_Our best answer is that he'll have one more year to enjoy his childhood."_

_He never did understood why his parents always smiled like that when he did something. Not too excited, but not too fake either, and yet he couldn't find a reason to be worried. He was only ten years old and living his life within this white prison._

_The steady beeping that resonated with his heart was his only companion at the time, the television in his cell muted to allow him to read the latest book his best friend (his age) gave him. A magical tale about a sleeping princess and the dangers of touching things that weren't yours, what a wonderful read._

_He had already read it three times prior, but he treasured it greatly along with the other works of literature that he requested every day. It may seem sad to some, staying in a room with its only contacts with the outside world being a pager near his poked and prodded arm and the single window that illuminated the pastel of the blooming sakura, but he was fine as long as he had his books._

_He wondered if he would have any visitors' today- how nice that would be! -when he heard footsteps approach his room, and considering the speed they were moving it was obvious who they would be. The blur of pink rushed towards his bed and the instant pain on his cheeks alerted him to her presence._

"_Honestly, I find you here every time I visit you!" The shrill voice of his friend rang throughout the room. "Can't you be like other kids and go out and get some fresh air? No, you always want to stay in here and read your dumb books!" The girl was pouting and had crossed her arms after punishing him, her light rose hair bunched in a ponytail. She was dressed in her blue elementary school smock, with additional animals stitched onto the fabric, her own work apparently._

_He only smiled at her. "I'm sorry about that Mi-nee-chan, but I just loved the latest book you gave me."_

"_I gave that to you three weeks ago!"_

"_True, but I did receive it as a gift, so there's a reason I wanted to read it many times over." He mentally laughed when he saw the rise of her blush. She really was a cute godsend. "Anything from you is something of an honor."_

"_T-there you go with that stupid honor crap! Can't you act like a normal little kid for a few minutes before you spout out stuff I barely know? Geez!" She say down on the nearest chair and began fiddling with his hair and the new hair color. "I can't believe those guys though: you come back to school for a week and they dye your hair, who does that?"_

"_I actually don't mind. As long as you don't think it's too flashy." The sharp tug on a few strands got him to look at her._

"_Stop letting people push you around Yoshi." She released his hair and reached into the school bag he failed to notice, pulling out the homework for class. She handed him his worksheet along with a pencil and a set of notes, before she pulled out her half-finished assignment._

"_Listen, when we get done with this, you and me are going outside so you can get some fresh air, okay?"_

"_I thought you said I shouldn't let people push me around Mi-nee-chan."_

_She smacked him on the head, and when her nursed the injury he heard her say "Only if I say so dummy."_

* * *

**2 days left**

Auruka was jolted awake by the slam of a door, her body involuntary jerking up by it. Hanako was standing near the door to her room in her pajamas, looking slightly startled but otherwise fine.

"G-good morning Auruka-chan." She said.

It took a second to catch her voice, scratching her cheek in slight embarrassment. "Ahaha, good morning Hanako-chan." She was about to ask what time it was, but the morning announcement answered her question. The brunette was probably about to change her clothes, but with Auruka awake she decided to abandon the idea.

"So, you woke up early?" she asked.

"Yeah, but only a little while ago. I was just waiting for Day Time so I could go get some breakfast. Wanna come?"

She nodded. "First let me get changed and we'll-"

*Ding* *Dong* *Ding* *Dong*

A chime reverberated throughout the apartments.

The monitor flashed on, surprising the two girls. Instead of the usual image of Mononeko announcing the time, Monokuma was seen sitting on a plush chair, a wine glass in hand. Before she could question it, what he said halted any thought in her head.

"A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we shall began a Class Trial." The monitor shut itself off once he finished, leaving the two girls in eerie silence.

It took a second for Auruka to comprehend what she heard. "Did… did he say a… body?"

Whatever Hanako was about to say was interrupted by someone screaming from outside the room, coming from the plaza. Auruka went to her window and pulled it open to hear whoever was yelling.

"Everyone please hurry! It's messed up, hurry!" Diana's cries of panic were easily carried through the plaza. "Get to the center! The center!" She thought she also heard a boy yelling as well.

Wasting no time, Auruka started heading for the door. "Hanako," she half-yelled. "Let's hurry!" The Medium still looked terrified but nodded and followed the Defense Attorney. All Auruka could think at the moment then was something she prayed wasn't true.

Rushing over to the community center, Auruka found that the others were all trying to get over there as well, all in sleepwear. She and Hanako arrived at the center and both pushed open its door to get in.

She could feel the beat of her heart and the slight loss of breath when she found Sora lying on the ground. She screamed in fear and rushed to her side, only to feel relief that Sora was still breathing.

"Thank goodness." Said Hanako in a relief. "She's just unconscious."

"Then why did Diana scream that much over Sora? She could have checked if she was alive or not?"

Kenichi's voice spooked her. "Soracchi's not the one who Diancchi cried over." He was over near the hallway to the boy's gym; he looked like he was trying hard not to cry. He pointed beyond Auruka's sight. "She cried because of him." She found herself walking over to his direction, fear and anxiety clawing at her chest. One look at the scene left her speechless; her illusion that everything would be fine left shattered.

His body was supported by the nearby wall, his head tilted to the side. The bright pink of his blood was a clear contrast to the hair color and the white and green pajamas he was wearing. It was everywhere and pooling underneath his body, and it was obvious that it was enough to kill him, despite how he looked like he was almost sleeping.

Yoshi Yomohiro, the Super High School Level Storyteller, was dead.

* * *

**15 Students Left**


	11. Countdown to Despair 1-5

**Dadadadada new chapter! Well, I see that everyone must be excited because of the fast update, but let's just leave it that. Also, we decided that you guys probably needed a hint on the Memory Theater thing, so let's hear it! Mrs. Micho was on the promotional video and said something to Auruka. There you go and enjoy!**

* * *

_This…this wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't real, right? There's no way that one of them was actually dead, right? Yomohiro-kun's just playing a sick, sick joke on them right now and when we get up close he's going to go scare us by shouting out and he'll laugh, right?_

No matter what she tried to pass off, Auruka in a way, couldn't accept it. As a defense attorney, she was used to going over the cases and the charges each of client's faced; murder was a charge she had the joy of only covering for about a quarter of them. She knew what a corpse looked like, even had the clearance to look over one before, and what she was seeing right now was…

She swallowed the lump in her throat, fear pulsing in her veins; Yoshi was really dead. He was dead and that meant someone-

Hanako was the first to scream, halting Auruka's thoughts, followed by what was probably a few of the others who rushed over here by Diana's scream. Various faces of horror and surprise dotted among them all, and she noticed they were all wearing their pajamas.

"I-is that… Yomohiro-kun?" asked Kousuke, wearing a blue plaid combo flannel shirt and bottoms.

"Yes…that is without a doubt Yoshi." Hearing Miki talk made Auruka feel a stabbing in her chest. With the way she barely showed emotion, Miki must've been holding back with the discovery of her childhood friend's corpse. She turned to look at her and was a bit surprised and her hair; the parts that made up her buns were out and stood out from the rest of her short hair. She was only wearing a yellow nightgown with lace trimming and no shoes. "And to answer any possible questions regarding his condition, it is obvious to say that he has passed on." She took a few steps ahead, but halted her actions when her bare feet were at the edge at the pool of blood. "But I must ask why this did happen... Yoshi made no actions to make any enemies on this trip, did he?" For some reason, it almost sounded like a child was asking the question; the hint of sadness was something Auruka wasn't expecting.

No one had any explanation to give the Seamstress…

"No no no that's not what happened Miki-chan!" Auruka dreaded when the bear showed up from nearby. "It's plain and simple on what happened- he was murdered by one of you bastards!"

Isamu was sweating bullets. "M-murdered? That can't be true, right?" He wrung the white plain white shirt he was wearing; Auruka wished he at least wore some pants. "There's no way that anyone would-"

"Wake up and smell the blood, there's a freaking corpse in front of you! Besides, you guys should quit your blubbering and get started on your investigation!"

"In-investigation?" Kanade stuttered. She was wearing a Mononeko logo black t-shirt and pink shorts. "For what exactly?" Monokuma took a few steps up to them and the group took a few back in newfound fear.

"Weren't you listening to me just a while ago on the monitor? Kids today with their short attention spans." He huffed. "I said that we would be hosting the class trial immediately after a short period of investigation on who offed Yoshi-kun."

"The…class trial…"Hanako was a bit confused on the phrase. "What exactly is that?"

"Oh good, I can hear myself talk more! Ahem, the Class Trial is what happens after one of you little bastards bites the dust, well after you guys investigate the crime scene. You see, you remaining students will hold a real life trial and determine who decided to kill and disrupt your peaceful city life. At the end of the trial you'll all take a vote to determine who the Blackened is. If you pick the right choice, then the Blackened will receive punishment, but if you pick the wrong one, then I'll punish everyone besides the Blackened and that person will be able to leave this city! Pretty cool, huh?"

No, none of that was at all a good thing to the group. None of it sounded 'cool' at all to any of them, and the way Monokuma said punishment definitely raised flags with Auruka. "You said punishment, but what does that mean exactly?" she asked.

"Oh Auruka-chan if we told you then it wouldn't be a surprise for the Class Trial no would it?" Mononeko came from the behind the group, gripping on what looked like a sleeve from behind the corner wall. She pulled on the sleeve. "Come on now, you have to know who died so you can see if you actually care."

"I-I can see perfectly well from here!" It was Mandy, although the slight stutter was something new. "Imayoshi's over here and she can probably hear just fine. So I don't need to see." She almost sounded…agitated.

"But she's unconscious." Jude scratched his head, just as confused as the others with their attention now pulled towards Mandy. Auruka found he was like Isamu, but in reverse with long green pajama pants- god can she stop blushing?!-and stepped ahead to Mandy. "Come on what's the bloody-" He stopped when he turned to look at her for a second before he started snickering.

"You better shut up before I make you! It's not like I was hoping you guys would see this alright!?" Mononeko kept pulling her sleeve, while Jude tried hard not to laugh with little success.

"Um, Mandy, do you think you could just come out now?" Diana had her hair down and was wearing a grey sweatshirt and sweatpants, quite different from her usual appearance. "We promise we won't be as bad as Jude." She ignored his protest and it seemed that Mandy relented when she walked in the view of the others.

"Uh, you… definitely look… cute Dimuc-san." It wasn't a lie and it was probably the only thing Auruka could say.

The Brainiac could only blush and try to bury herself within her pajamas- a single monochrome onesie. It was eerie with its appearance to Monokuma, the bear's cheerful (?) grin was on top of the hood that Mandy puller over her face; it looked like a bad and creepy impersonation of the bear. A few of the boys looked like they were about to burst out laughing at any second.

"It's not like I wanted you to see this and give me petty compliments," She didn't look as intimidating as the prior day. "But that insufferable cat wouldn't let me change when I heard- oh." She was gazing at Yoshi's body from behind them. "So it's true then." Taking her hood off she walked over to his slouched body and crouched down to get a better look. "Exactly what have you guys found at this time?" Gone was the blushing train wreck, now Mandy Dimuc was back in control.

"Ahem, if we can have your attention please, my big bro and I would like to help you in this investigation, because no investigation is complete without an autopsy!"

"A…autopsy? You're… going to open him up…right now?" Asked Nathaniel in surprise and slight horror. At least he had the decency to put on a bathrobe when he arrived, was what Auruka first thought.

"Nope! That would take far too long, so we prepared this for you guys- the Monokuma File!" Monokuma had brought out a tablet seemingly from out of nowhere and handed it to the nearest person- Auruka. "This handy little file will give you everything you need to know about the murder, although the rest you'll have to find that out on your own." And like that, both were gone as quickly as they appeared.

Auruka looked at the black tablet as she held it out in her hands; the screen turned on showcasing a black silhouette of Yoshi; a splash of blood was on the corner of his head and a short description of the murder was below.

Auruka read it aloud. "The victim was Yomohiro Yoshio who was discovered in the hallway outside the boy's gym. The wounds he sustained were a large bash on the right side of his head, with no drug discovered in the body. The victim had died at 10:07 pm." It was short, but at least they had a general idea.

"So, I guess we're supposed to investigate?" Kaishi looked unsure, rubbing the long sleeves of his blue flannel pajamas. "But what are we supposed to do?"

Amane spoke up. "Considering that Yomohiro was found here, it's best to assume that this would be the general crime scene, so I suggest we search around very inch of this place. The bigger question we should be concerned about is who would guard the body." Auruka took note of her pajamas being the same as her usual outfit- black shirt and black shorts.

"Why do we need to do that?" asked Hanako, slightly shaken.

"Because you heard Monokuma." Answered Mandy, now in control of her emotions. "One of us is the killer and I bet they would love to make sure there are no loose ends, and that applies to tampering with the body. Now as she said before, who would like to take watch over the body?"

Miki raised her hand. "I shall perform the task of protecting Yoshi's body! And if anyone would do so in tampering with him then I shall, as they say, 'beat the stuffing out of them'. "

"Er… right then. Any objections?" No one had any. "Good. Then let's try to find as much as we can." And with that, the group had dispersed leaving Hanako and Auruka by themselves.

"Auruka-chan what should we do first?" The Defense Attorney thought for a moment about the crime scene.

"I guess we should start by talking to the people who discovered the body, then investigate the area where Yoshi was found." She needed to focus now, to at least put justice to Yoshi's untimely death. She took a deep breath before allowing focus on all information she had took note of. "Yoshi was found outside the boy's gym so we should investigate that after we talk to Sora, and probably talk to some of the others as well."

The Medium tilted her head in puzzlement. "Why Sora-chan?"

"She was unconscious, so it's safe to say that she was probably one of the first to discover the body, as well as Diana."

Hanako nodded. "Alright then, then let's go investigate! I'll do my best to help you Auruka-chan as your assistant!"

Auruka blinked. "Assistant?"

"Right, every detective needs an assistant so you can count on me! I'll no longer be the Super High School Level Medium, but the Super High School Level Assistant to you!" She smiled up at Auruka and she returned the earnest grin and the two left Miki to watch over Yoshi as they headed to Sora, who was now in the kitchen with Keiichi and Kanade. Keiichi was wearing a white tank top and red shorts and Sora was in orange flora print pajamas.

The good news was that she was conscious, and it looked like Kousuke had gained his appetite back as he devoured the steaming pile of food on the counter. It looked like there was enough food for at least everyone to get seconds, but now was not the time to think about breakfast.

Sora was sitting on a stool with the Pianist and Cheer Captain looking over her with worry, Keiichi more than Kanade apparently.

"Sora-chan, we have some questions we want to ask you if that's' alright with you." Her only sign of approval was the slight nod. "You were the one who found Yoshi this morning, so can you tell us the exact details?"

"I… I was wanting to prepare breakfast for everyone this morning…so I wanted to get up nice and early to get things ready. I even… called Kei-chan and Di-chan and asked for their help…" _She must have meant Diana and Keiichi. _"I told them to come meet me in the cafeteria before the morning announcement came on. I was waiting in the cafeteria when-"

Hanako interrupted. "Sora-chan, that doesn't make sense- the center is locked during Night Time. How could you be inside before Day Time?"

Kanade spoke up. "The cafeteria is actually unlocked throughout the entire day. The rules we were given mentioned that certain areas of the city would be locked or closed for the entirety of Night Time. In fact, the only places that would stay locked would be the kitchen and the stores- the gyms don't need a lock."

That picked Auruka's interest. "Why's that?" she asked.

Keiichi looked at the pinkette like she grew a second head. "Michocchi, have you been to the gyms since your accident?" She shook her head; exercise was never her forte. "Oh, well the gyms have an electronic lock put on them that only allows either boys or girls to come in. You have to use your ElectroID to open them and if you're the right gender. Boys can only enter the boy's room and girls can only enter the girl's room."

The information was definitely something to remember for later. "Good to know; Sora-chan can you please finish what you were saying?"

"R-right. Um, I told them to meet me so we could work on breakfast and I was the first one to arrive." She tensed and gripped her chair. "I… I remember that I was just w-walking around the c-cafeteria and I found myself going t-towards… the boy's gym." She wrapped her arms around herself and Keiichi did the same as well. "I… I saw Yomohiro-kun and I…" She broke out in a sob and buried her head in the Cheer Captain's chest; he just rubbed her back in reassurance while Kanade looked on in worry and a sense of helplessness.

She turned to the duo. "I think Imayoshi-san needs some time to herself. Is it alright if you continue your investigation elsewhere?" The two understood and left the three- Kousuke had already left beforehand- and headed to investigate other areas.

"Auruka-chan, where are we going now?"

"Well, we had some information that was needed so the next thing to do would investigate either the body or the scene around it," She tried to pass of a little laugh. "And since I bet neither of us wants to be that close to Yoshi, we should- Hanako-chan?" The Medium had grabbed Auruka's hand before she would reach Yoshi and Miki. She turned back to her only to see tears welling up in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Why… why are you crying?" Did the shock of things prove too much for Hanako? Auruka had seen this happen to many rookies in court and was no stranger to the pressure placed on your every time court was in session, but she would be damned if her friend had a panic attack or something.

Hanako rubbed her eyes to try to stop them, looking slightly guilty. "Auruka-chan… I'm sorry that I didn't tell you this…" She averted her eyes and swallowed. "But I thought you should know."

There was definitely something wrong. "Know what?"

She had begun twirling a strand of her hair. "This morning when you saw me after the door slam. It's because I…heard something outside and I got scared…" She lowered her voice and Auruka had to lean in. "I woke up a little bit before the announcement and heard what sounded like someone moving, probably from the apartment entrance."

She placed her hand on Hanako's shoulder for reassurance. "You could hear it from that far away?"

"Yeah, it was quiet so I could hear someone moving from there. I got out of bed and went to the door that connected our rooms. I opened it just a little when I heard the person start running and that's when I shut it and woke you up. But it makes me think that it may have been… may have been the killer. Auruka-chan, do you think it may have been the killer?" She looked up at her with pleading eyes wishing for at least something to prove her wrong.

Auruka didn't know what to say, so she only shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever the case, it may help with whatever we're doing later." Most people would probably give a white lie, but Auruka knew that lying would make things worse when dealing with things like this. "Now we should at least try to finish up before Monokuma and Mononeko try to pull a fast one on us, okay?" She didn't expect Hanako to puff out her cheeks in mock anger. "What?"

"Auruka-chan, that's not how it works!" "Eh?"

"Whenever the assistant looks like they'll cry or feel scared, you're supposed to reassure them with a pat or a hug or a kiss on the forehead. That's what a detective does to the assistant in the novels." _What kind of stuff do you read?_

"Hey, Magnus and Alec, you guys should check this out!" Jude was at the end of the hallway as far as he could be from Yoshi, who had both Amane and Miki watching over him; Auruka didn't know what to think when she saw Miki grasping Yoshi's hand. Both girls were confused until they realized he was addressing them; who exactly was Magnus and Alec?

Hanako was clutching Auruka's hand and trying her best to cower behind her, hoping to not catch a glimpse of Yoshi. Auruka let herself take a glance and noticed something. For some reason or another, the pajamas that Yoshi wore was something similar to Mandy's, except that the colors were green and white like Mononeko. "Glad you made it, come check this out." The Escapist- Auruka did her best to make herself not look like she was averting her gaze -pointed at the see-through windows of the boy's gym and the two girls took a peek.

There seemed to be a slight inside, like someone was in a scuffle. "Think it has to do with Yoshi's death?" asked Jude apprehensively.

"Definitely." Auruka reached for the door. "Come on let's go." She only stopped when Hanako didn't let go of her hand.

"Auruka-chan, we can't go in. Yoshikazu-kun said that were locks placed on the doors, see?" She pointed at the little scanner to the side. "You have to be a boy to enter."

"That's no problem right now, because Monokuma said that they would be open without needing those ElectroIDs. You can just push the door open and- Presto!" He snapped his fingers for effect.

Inside the gym, the mess was really just the dumbbells that had been knocked and scattered from their rack. Everything else was basically an exact mirror image of the girl's gym, save for the floor mats being blue instead of pink. It seemed that whatever happened here could probably fit in the theory of a scuffle, but maybe not as well. Hanako and Jude had already drifted away to try to help, doing their best not to step on any of the dumbbells. Auruka had decide to check on the lockers for any clues. It seemed whoever was in here tried their best to cover up their tracks, for what Auruka didn't-

*CLINK*

She looked down at her foot which had definitely stepped on something. "What's this?" She crouched down and found an ElectroID on the ground. At first she thought it was hers, but remembered that she ran out her room without even picking it up. So whose was this? She picked it up and tapped the screen and the first thing that popped up was Yoshi's profile.

Hanako looked over at Auruka. "Did you find something Auruka-chan?"

"Yeah, Yomohiro-kun's ElectroID…I have no idea what's it doing over here though. " Wouldn't that mean that Yoshi was in here…? "But if this is here then maybe…"

"Uh guys, you may want to look at this." Jude's voice was shaky and he looked to be holding something. The girls took a few steps but stopped short when they saw what he discovered; one of the dumbbells was thrown to side so that the blood painting it would be easy to miss. Hanako gave out a short scream at the new evidence and Auruka felt her blood run cold.

"I guess… we found the murder weapon. Anyone hit with this with enough force is bound to get hurt, or in Yomohiro's case…" He said dryly, but didn't mean to bring the somber feeling from the fact that they had discovered the weapon that had killed Yoshi.

With the discovery of the ElectroID and the weapon in the gym did at least give a basic understanding to Auruka; it was possible that this was the exact place were Yoshi was attacked. But why was he out here at night and why was his body found outside the gym if he was probably attacked here? Maybe if Auruka was the Super High School Level Detective then this would only take seconds to solve.

*Ding* *Dong* *Ding* *Dong*

The monitor hanging from the gym's ceiling flipped on, showcasing Monokuma and Mononeko.

The two spoke in unison. "Attention students, attention! The investigation period has ended, so we ask you to now continue outside. Please lead yourselves to the gazebo to begin the Class Trial Thank you." The image of the two shut off.

Hanako looked over at the two. "They said the gazebo outside, right? The black and white one in front of the community center."

Jude nodded. "Right. Then let's go; I don't think they would appreciate and tardiness or else they'll get their knickers in a twist about it." Was that British humor or something? Jude only sighed at the blank stares he received and started heading for the door. Outside the gym, Amane was leading Miki away from Yoshi, having to grab onto her hand.

Auruka only looked at Hanako, who gave a weak nod of encouragement and they followed the others. Taking one last glance at Yoshi, Auruka gave a silent prayer to his regards and met with the others outside.

_Don't worry Yomohiro-kun, we'll find the son-of-a-bitch who did this to you. That's a promise._

Everyone was all together, the remaining fifteen, all in various states of sleepwear, ready to face whatever the masterminds of this field trip had in plan for them. No one gave any encouragement or heartfelt speech; the shock of what they were now doing had caught up to them, leaving them in silence. Auruka reached for Hanako's hand once again and she returned the reassuring squeeze.

The gazebo proved to be actually roomy for the group, and once the last student stepped on it did a large tremor occur. Auruka felt herself grip the beam and Hanako's hand and felt a lurch. The floor beneath them tumbled as soon they realized that it was lowering.

The gazebo lowered itself slowly, showcasing metal walls surrounding them and encasing them in darkness.

The newly discovered elevator gained more speed as it descended down, a few students giving their own opinions to this; Sora and Kanade whispered; Kousuke and Kaishi looked queasy; Jude, Diana and Isamu rubbed the goose bumps decorating their bodies.

They had no idea how long the elevator went on of how deep they were, but finally did it stop and the students were bathed in bright light. There was a little pathway that led to the open doorway of light and with no choice did the students followed it.

"Good morning everyone and welcome to the courtroom!" Mononeko and Monokuma were found sitting on a plush red cushion on a throne that overlooked sixteen ivory black podiums that were arranged in a circle. The so-called courtroom was decorated with multicolored drapes and tapestries that hung of the walls, all showcasing various symbols; Auruka noticed a cartoon ghost, a yellow crown, and what looked like a gavel.

"Please take your stand at your assigned podium," Mononeko continued. "Each one has your name on it so you don't have to worry over picking."

Auruka found hers and had Hanako on the left side and Isamu on the right, but what she paid attention to the most was the empty podium that had a picture frame on a stand. Yoshi was locked in an eternal smile, but the only thing ruining it was the blood colored paint that was on it, covering his eyes. It looked like it was written in English; Auruka could barely understand it, but she chose not to focus on that.

This was a trial to find the murder of Yoshi Yomohiro.

* * *

_Yoshi Yomohiro was the Super High School Level Storyteller and a young boy that had done nothing wrong. His care and consideration for everyone was his charm point, but also his immediate downfall. He was found dead in the community center and the person responsible was in this very courtroom. Now the trial begins._

* * *

**Question. Who do you believe murdered Yoshi Yomohiro? I really want to know. Also the order of the class trial will be this, as the characters are arranged, starting from the podium in front of the throne clockwise: Jude, Kaishi, Miki, Akihisa, Sora, Keiichi, Hanako, Auruka, Isamu, Amane, Diana, Yoshi, Kousuke, Nathaniel, Mandy, and Kanade.**


	12. Class Trial: Countdown to Despair 1-1

**What a despairing chapter this is! We begin the Class Trial over whodunit on the murder of Yoshi Yomohiro, and from here on we hope you enjoy. Just a little heads up, this entire trial will be the first ever pajama party, so everyone will be in their pajamas. In case you don't remember, Auruka and Hanako are wearing the exact pajamas that they wore in chapter 1-3. Anyway, let's enjoy this trial and whatnot.**

* * *

As everyone took their stand on their assigned podium, Monokuma began. "Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial. All will present their arguments regarding 'whodunit' and vote at the end of the trial. If you bastards manage to finger the guy, then only the Blackened will receive punishment…but if you pick the wrong one, then we'll punish everyone besides the Blackened."

Mononeko jumped up. "And that person will be able to leave this city and Graduate! They'll be free as a bird, well if the bird had decided to murder people."

"Just to clarify something, I would like to ask something. Out of the remaining fifteen, one of us is a killer?" Amane asked.

The cat sat back down next to her brother. "Most definite, one-hundred percent; in fact, we know exactly who committed the murder. So you don't need to worry at all about if we're gonna be prejudice or discriminate any of you."

Isamu scratched the side of his head. "How… how do you know who the killer is?"

"Upupupu, we have our ways." The bear grinned at the Good Luck. "Namely, the hidden cameras scattered throughout the city. They capture all kinds of dirty, raunchy acts that you guys perform!" The students were generally surprised to hear this.

"You have us…on camera?!" Sora looked shocked and was once again on the verge of tears. "Please I beg of you, erase anything rude I might have said!" She shielded her face for fear. "I'm sorry for saying these horrid things about people!"

"Eh, no offense Sora-chan, but the rudest thing I heard you say was when you said that Futonomi-kun scared you…" Kousuke said.

"I'm sorry for saying that!" she apologized, half-yelling away from Akihisa beside her. The Swordsman was wearing a black tank top and black sweat pants. He said nothing, save for a lone sigh; Keiichi patted her head in reassurance.

Mandy only shook her head from the acts of the others. "Before we start though, I have just one question." She pointed at the ominous looking portrait where Yoshi would have stood in; it was even at his exact height. "What is that?" The others also took a glance at the picture, only a few were able to understand the pink, cursive words that ran across Yoshi's eyes in two lines.

"Well, big bro and I decided that just because Yoshi-kun can't come down doesn't mean he should miss out on the trial."

This time, Monokuma continued. "We also added our own little touch to his portrait, see? It says 'Once Upon a Time", pretty clever, huh? Especially on the eyes, get it?"

Diana was trembling in horror as she tried to stand as far from the portrait. "That's… that's messed up. That's the kind thing a…a…"

"I believe the term you are looking may be 'sadist', 'psychopath', or 'bully'." Despite her blank expression, her voice carried some semblance of anger. "Regardless, this is what would be considered a sense of injustice on Yoshi's memory." She continued to give an empty stare up at the throne.

Monokuma ignored it and went along. "Blah, blah, blah, your needs- let's get this thing started. Now then, let's begin this trial- court is in session!" The sound of a gavel rang throughout the room.

Right then, Auruka had to focus on the situation. For now she'll just wait to give her voice as it seemed that everyone else had something to say.

"Auruka-chan," She heard Hanako whisper. "Good luck."

* * *

**COURT IS NOW IN SESSION**

* * *

Kanade was the first to speak, slightly nervous. "Um, I don't know where we should begin at…"

Diana had recovered from her initial distress. "Why don't we begin with Yoshi, and then we can move up to finding a suspect? I'll start us off: the victim was Yoshi Yomohiro and he was found in one of the hallways in the community center."

"That part doesn't make sense though…" Isamu said. "I thought that the rules said 8 pm was Night Time. How did Yomohiro-kun get inside if it was supposed to be locked?"

"He must have asked the Super High School Level Escapist to break in for him!" Kousuke looked proud of himself for his response. The courtroom was silent for a moment.

It was Jude who broke the silence. "Even if I could do, I wouldn't. Whatever locks they put on the doors around here, even I can't crack them." He almost sounded like he was disappointed.

"You tried that?" asked Auruka, confused. What about Sora's alibi?

"Well not for the community center, but I did try the one for the food store and one of the locks in the girl's- Aack!" He blushed as he covered his mouth, but the damage was done as every female eye looked in his direction.

"Eyaaaaaahhh!" "P-pervert!" "You son-of-a-bitch!" "Why did you tamper with the lock system?" A few were shocked, one was confused, and the other half looked like they were going to pounce on the sleazy boy.

"Wa-wa-wait a second here-"

"I knew it wasn't a poltergeist! I just a poltergeist wouldn't mess with me like that!" Hanako pointed accusingly at Jude. "You're the reason I had to bother Auruka-chan if I could sleep in her room a few days ago!"

_That's why you wanted a sleepover with me?! _No wait, she had to focus. She had something to counter this.

"I want to say something first. Before we all tear apart Beckett-kun for his pervy actions, we need to have something clarified. The community center was never locked at all during Night Time- just the gyms and the kitchen."

Mandy looked over at the Defense Attorney. "And how would you know that?" she asked.

"Sora-chan told me during the investigation, isn't that right?" Auruka looked over at the Pastry Chef.

She nodded. "Uhn…The cafeteria is open all day, every day. I actually found out a while back; I was cleaning up dinner by myself and I heard the Night Time announcement." She gave a nervous giggle. "I was relieved to know that I wasn't locked in!"

Kanade didn't understand what was so funny. "Imayoshi-san, that's still dangerous! What if someone came and attacked you!?"

Keiichi looked over at Sora in worry. "Soracchi could have been attacked? That's bad, bad, bad!"

"B-b-but I held trust that no one would do th-that!" she stuttered, looking like she was about to apologize for no reason.

Auruka continued. "Moving on… as I said before, even though the center was open to the public only the cafeteria was open. So it's possible that Yomohiro-kun was found in the hallway at that time."

Amane nodded at the piece of information; she glanced at Auruka, crossing her arms. "If that's the case on _why _regarding Yomohiro, then we should establish on the _what_, the weapon. We still have yet to identify what killed him."

"According to the Monokuma File, he had one direct wound on his head. So that's the apparent cause of death." Akihisa said, joining in.

"Did he really die from a single blow to the head?" Kaishi asked aloud.

Miki raised her hand and responded. "Yes, I have inspected and found that he only received one impact to the head. At a best estimate, the doduro fractured-"

Isamu interrupted the Seamstress. "The…doduro?"

She shook her head. "Forgive me, what I meant was 'skull'. The skull fractured and the brain was hit as well, and he continually bled out with the possibility of himself being unconscious, leaving the pool of blood he was found in.

Kousuke looked slightly green and held his stomach. "Oh God Okazaki-chan… You don't…. you don't have to be too descriptive. I think, I think I'm gonna lose my breakfast."

Nathaniel glared at the queasy Tattoo Artist. "You barf on me, you die." Kousuke let out a short shriek and clutched his pajama pants.

Isamu was glad he wasn't Kousuke right now. "A-anyway, with that in mind, we have to think about the murder weapon." He looked at the Seamstress and recalled her statement. "If he was killed by only one bash to the head, then the weapon had to have been something heavy to kill him."

"Exactly what could cause that kind of damage?" Kanade asked.

"Probably something big and large."

"Maybe someone attacked him with a heavy plate?"

"But wouldn't that leave at least some evidence of a mess?"

"No, no, no. It had to be something else, but what?"

Auruka stepped in. "A dumbbell."

"Eh? A… dumbbell?"

"Yeah, before the announcement that the investigation was over, Beckett-kun found a dumbbell in the boy's gym, with blood on it."

Sora looked a little pale and took a step back. "B-blood…?" Keiichi put his hand on her shoulder, looking worried.

"Uwah! Soracchi, are you going to faint again?!" The Pastry Chef took a breath and reassured him that she was fine.

Nathaniel crossed his arms. "So it was a dumbbell that killed Yomohiro... Considering the rooms that were nearby it does make sense; a single strike to the head could lead to instant death if applied with enough force."

"So… he never even knew what hit him…" Kaishi muttered.

Diana stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Oh God, that just left a bitter taste in my mouth."

"There's only one downside to the discovery of the dumbbell- it's size." Jude held his hands out in an attempt to imitate the dumbbell's size. "The dumbbell was light, but still heavy enough to do something. I would put it at around… maybe nine, ten kilograms?"

"At that weight, with what Robinson-san mentioned, then the killer had to have swung it hard enough at Yomohiro-kun." Kanade closed her eyes and clasped her hands. "I hate to say it, but that implies that any of us could be the culprit considering that I'm sure all of us can handle that kind of weight."

"Of course I can pick up ten kilograms!" Kaishi exclaimed. He flexed his arms, showcasing his biceps. "Hell, I can bench press one-hundred!" A few people looked at him funny and he realized he showcased his status as a suspect.

The Pianist continued. "Another thing we have to consider is the fact that the murder took place at night, when we were all supposed to be asleep. Again that just brings up that anyone could have done it, and we have no way to reduce the suspect list."

"No, that's wrong." Auruka said, drawing their attention. "The dumbbell was found in the boy's gym, remember? Yoshikazu-kun told me that the only way inside the gyms would be if you used your ElectroID, but only if you were the appropriate gender to enter- boys can only enter the boy's gym and girls can only enter the girl's gym." Realization dawned on the faces of a few.

"So if we take that into account then…" Miki said. "That only leaves seven suspects, only the boys." She glanced over at the male participants with a blank face. "Anyone man enough to confess?"

Nathaniel turned away from her. "I have nothing to confess as I did not kill Yomohiro."

"Um, actually I think that the list would only be six people, since Yoshikazu is innocent."

Akihisa looked over at Diana. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, it seemed that that announcement thing that came on when we found Yomohiro only started up when I saw him. You see, the reason why we three were awake was because Sora had asked us to help her this morning with breakfast and told us to meet her before the morning announcement."

"Why you?" Kousuke cleared his throat. "No offense, but I thought Sora-chan would have asked Maiyuri-chan to help her as well."

The Pastry Chef muttered, "I already had asked her to help me the last couple of days, but I felt I was troubling her enough so I asked some others." The Pianist gave a smile in reassurance to ease Sora's nerves. She recalled another thing and counted off her fingers. "Um… I remember asking Hana-chan and Ko-kun as well, but they were both busy in their own way."

"I can't get up unless I know that food's cooking." He said with a smile.

Hanako gave a short laugh. "I actually didn't think I could get up that early, so I didn't go along, even if it was probably a little bit before eight."

Diana started running her hands through her hair. "I was actually the last to arrive to the center and I had found Yoshikazu with Sora, who had passed out. I ran over to see what happened and he pointed over to… well, you know. After that, the announcement rang, and Yoshikazu and I left Sora in the cafeteria and ran out to get everyone else."

"I'm pretty sure that's not a coincidence, the announcement rang tight when you saw it… Isn't that right Monokuma?" Akihisa didn't even look at the throne to give them his attention.

"You're absolutely correct, that was no coincidence at all!" Monokuma exclaimed. "The body discovery announcement can only be made once a special rule has been followed! Only, and if only, three people have found the body will it activate."

Mononeko joined in. "And that's if they aren't the culprit. So there's no way we can count the killer at all, which is too bad for them, but too good for you."

"If that's the case, then we can consider that only three people here have a definite alibi of not being the killer: Sora-chan, Yoshikazu-kun, and Diana-chan." Auruka thought over the suspect list. "Although the girls don't need to count, but Yoshikazu-kun would be crossed off the list-"

"**Consider yourself lucky for being clueless."**

"Wha…what?" Auruka was halted mid-sentence by the commanding voice and found herself in the view of Amane Ikeda. She looked angry, but Auruka couldn't understand why

"I can clearly see from here on that you truly are worthy of the title Super High School Level Defense Attorney." She growled.

"…What's that supposed to mean?" She tried to hide the shift of anger she was feeling, but didn't appreciate the Spy's criticism on her part.

She scoffed. "It's what I said: you only have the knowledge of defending people from the crimes they committed, more specifically the culprit from their crime of taking another life."

"What makes you think that's what I'm doing?" She held back from yelling that out. "I'm trying to help everyone find the culprit."

"And you're doing a sloppy work of it. A defense attorney is someone whose job is to defend people from being considered the culprit in crimes, and that's what you're doing considering the girls in this trial. What you fail to consider is the possibility of the culprit being a girl, and I carry the proof that would challenge that."

"Why the hell are you trying to contradict me, unless you have something to do with this…?"

She turned away from Auruka, as if she wasn't addressing. "I can't allow such a tragic misunderstanding to cost us on discovering the true culprit on this case, and here's what I have to say. I was one of the few people to hang around to watch over Yomohiro, besides Okazaki, but before that I was tasked with the investigation."

"That's right." Akihisa said. "In fact, you and I were together during out short period of investigation; the only reason we stopped is because we didn't find anything interesting in the girl's gym."

Hanako twirled a strand of her hair, making it curlier than before. "What were you two doing in the girl's gym? Yomohiro-kun was found outside the boy's gym, and we even found the murder weapon in the boy's gym."

"Investigate all possibilities, that's a main rule to follow in life. We investigated the girl's gym as a precaution, just in case. There we found that the room was completely untouched, save for one important detail: there were seven dumbbells on the rack."

"Seven… dumbbells?" Hanako asked, looking shaken.

"That's right. The only reason that struck me as odd was the fact that there were only eight a day prior to the murder. I would know, considering that I work out every day for the past five days." She said with confidence.

"Yeah, I remember seeing you when I went to the gym yesterday." Jude thought for a moment before saying, "And now that you mention it, the one thing that really stood out in the boy's gym today was the fact that the room had the dumbbells all scattered about. It seemed really odd…"

Mandy joined in the discussion. "So what you're saying is… that the missing dumbbell from the girl's gym and the bloody dumbbell found could be connected-"

"**I'm sorry, but the spirits do not agree with that!"**

"What did you say?" the Brainiac looked over at the one who exclaimed. Auruka was shocked when she found Hanako was the one who yelled that out.

"I know that we're trying to find the culprit who murdered Yomohiro-kun, but there's no way that you'll make it seem like a girl could commit this! I can tell you that." She looked different somehow, full of energy. Perhaps she was bringing her fear into a newfound urge to help in the case… except that she had probably stored too much of that energy and looked ready to burst.

"You sound so convinced that a boy could do this…" Auruka didn't want to do anything that could upset Hanako too much or cause her to explode on her. Hanako continued on her (rant) debate.

"I know it sounds mean, but even though a few of the boys are nice, but it does seem more possible that boys could do this to Yomohiro-kun… the whole setting could only point to a boy committing the crime." A few of the said boys looked at the Medium with a sense of betrayal.

"The boys here have talents that involve physical strength!

"Some of the girls do as well…

"But I know that the boys would have a higher chance of committing the crime!

"Cause if you blame a girl… then that means you can pin the blame on Diana-chan or Auruka-chan and I won't have that!"

_Is that why she's trying to find proof that a boy did the crime? _Auruka thought. _To protect me? Hanako…_

_No wait, what she said this morning was…_

"Wait a second, Hanako-chan aren't you forgetting this morning?" Hanako opened her mouth, paused, and then shut her mouth. "You told me how you heard someone moving around the girl's apartment; you even got up to hear it and accidently woke me up as well before the morning announcement."

"You heard someone moving around this morning?" Kousuke pointed over at the Street Performer, who waved. "Wasn't it Diana after she and the others found Yomohiro? I know I heard her and what I believe was Yoshikazu-kun."

Considering what Hanako and Diana both said, the time frames didn't match up for Auruka. "I don't think that was Diana-chan… Hanako-chan told me she heard it a few moments before the morning announcement and Diana was already leaving to meet Sora-chan and Yoshikazu-kun. She woke up after hearing what sounded like someone was moving around, probably running. She got out of bed and decided to check it out; she looked like she was opening the door that connects our rooms and was probably going to hers."

Jude looked shocked. "Wait a moment, does that mean… you guys slept together?"

"Don't say it like that!" Auruka tried to dispel the red blooming on her cheeks. "Hanako-chan slept in a little bed on the floor next to my bed! She didn't want to sleep in her room because she was scared about everything, from the motivational video to the watches on our wrists. That's all that happened that night, I took a shower and then went to sleep and Hanako was already asleep when I got in bed."

Jude recovered, but was still blushing a bit. "So that's it then… heh." He gave a grin to Hanako's direction. "I guess you're neither Magnus nor Alec Micho, just Amaya then."

"What does that mean?" She asked with little enthusiasm.

He only waved his hand and gave a small laugh. "Nothing, nothing, forget about it. Amaya, could you finish what Miss Micho was saying about that noise you heard?"

She nodded. "Alright then. When I heard that the person was moving closer, I got scared and I slammed the door in a reflex, waking up Auruka-chan." She put her hands up in a prayer. "I just thought that someone woke up early, but I didn't even consider that they were the… killer."

"You…just contradicted yourself, Amaya-san." Kanade said; she stopped to peer at the Medium's appearance. "You don't… look so good actually… are you okay?"

It was true, her hair was a bit disheveled, more so than waking up and she was panting slightly. How did Auruka not notice this before?

"…Yeah…I'm just… a bit stressed…" She rubbed her right arm and took a few deep breaths.

"To be fair, Hanako did seem a bit paranoid last night as well." Diana said. "You were a bit scared when I met you outside in the plaza; it was sometime around seven, I guess? I remember that I found you coming out the store with your pajamas on and…"

"_Hanako~ how are you?" Diana lightly pushed on Hanako after sneaking up on her from behind, but she wasn't expecting the Medium to give a jolt of fear. _

"_Egyah?! Oh… it's you Diana-chan." Realizing who it was, the Medium calmed down, but still looked a bit nervous._

_Diana felt a bit bad for what she did. "Yeah… you okay? A little embarrassed that I can see your chest through your shirt?" She pointed at the way the skins showing through the white shirt she was wearing._

_Realizing this, Hanko hastily covered her chest with her arms. "That's not- no… I'm just a bit scared during the night, you know. That's around the time when our world and the spiritual world are most connected. Anyway, I should probably head to bed then, good night."_

"After that, I saw you go to your room and I headed towards mine." She shook her head. "We're getting off topic though, so we should probably try to focus on what… Ikeda said. Sorry, forget what your last name for a second was."

Auruka didn't like it, but she agreed with Diana. She probably shouldn't have mad such an outburst about who the culprit was, so she should at least try to get this through with the other's her- even Amane's. She sighed and put her hand behind her, bowing slightly.

"If… if you're considering that a girl could have committed this murder, then… I'll try to help see if I can support this as well." She muttered.

The Spy looked over and said nothing for a moment as if figuring if she should or shouldn't accept Auruka's small apology. She was a bit relieved when Amane then nodded and gave a small smile. "Thank you. Now to begin, the killer obviously used the dumbbell as a murder weapon…"

"They probably made sure to use a weight that anyone could use," Kaishi said. "To make things more complicated."

"The mess in the boy's gym may have been a way to confuse us a bit…" Akihisa mentioned.

"Using the d-dumbbell, they k-killed Yo-kun and then managed to hide it in the boy's gym." Sora stuttered.

"The door can only be opened by using your ElectroID, but only if you're a boy… so how did they manage to open it?" Hanako brought up.

Auruka thought for a moment and remembered the evidence she discovered. "What if… what if they managed to use Yomohiro-kun's ID?"

"Use his ElectroID?" Keiichi asked.

She nodded. "When we investigated the gym, we found Yomohiro-kun's ID on the floor, so what if they killed him, then managed to take his, and then used it to open the boy's gym? That way, they could convince us that a boy had committed the crime." Amane was right; it was possible for a girl to do this.

"Is that even allowed?" Sora asked aloud.

Mandy pushed her glasses up and pulled her hood off. "It's not in the rules, so I guess it would be. It never mentioned the fact that we couldn't use another students ID, right you two?"

Monokuma scratched his head and looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, we just forget to include that as a direct rule: students cannot use another participating student's ElectroID; we'll make sure to put it in after this trial's over. On the other hand, the ElectroID can be used if the student is no longer a student."

Kanade looked a tad bit confused. "Huh? What does that mean?"

Mononeko giggled. "It means that if and only if the student has been murdered can their ElectroID be used by any person to open locks, regardless of gender. Although to be fair the killer didn't know that, but we'll let it slide."

Hanako pulled on Auruka's flannel sleeve. "But wait a second Auruka-chan, didn't we find the ElectroID in the boy's gym floor? If so, then how is it possible that they used it if we found it there?" Before she could answer, Akihisa took the stand.

"All you would have to do is leave it on the floor and that would be quick and easy; after the killer made the crime scene they left it on the floor and possibly left the crime scene."

"So if that's possible then… We only made a dent in this!" Diana exclaimed, gripping her hair. "I mean if it's possible that a girl could do this, then we literally have twelve suspects!"

Keiichi gripped the podium. "Even if you guys say that you have alibis, the only people here that could be counted off are Soracchi, Diancchi, and myself. And witnesses?" He shook his head. "There's none, none, none."

Jude sighed dramatically. "That's right… we still have no witnesses to help on this case. Besides Amaya's statement of course on the mystery person, we got nothing."

"Hmmm... I don't get something about what Yo-kun did." Sora didn't realize she was thinking aloud. "I mean… we now know that a boy or a girl could be the culprit…but we don't know what Yo-kun's actions were." She blushed when she realized the others could hear her.

Kaishi didn't understand what the blonde was saying. "His actions?"

"That's right; we don't yet understand what he was doing in the center in the first place." Mandy cupped her face with her hand. She looked over at the Pastry Chef and gave a nod of thanks; Sora started getting red in the face. "We discussed everything that the killer might have done in order to confuse us, but we have yet to determine what led the Storyteller to the crime scene."

Kaishi crossed his arms at dissatisfaction of the trial's progress. "Yeah…what would he be doing outside during night? It doesn't make any sense…"

"Then I believe it's the perfect time to gather thoughts."

Auruka tried collecting her thoughts. "What was Yomohiro-kun doing outside late at night?"

"Maybe he couldn't sleep and decided to go out?" Isamu asked.

Diana barked back at him. "Are you kidding, the kid was blind! What could he want to look at during the night, more darkness?"

"If only someone could give us some information about Yo-kun…"

Nathaniel clicked his tongue in annoyance. "It's not like we weren't friendly with him, but nobody would be able to know enough about him to help."

"No that's wrong." There was someone who could help, someone who could crack this case wide open and help them find the one who killed Yoshi. "There's someone here that has a connection with Yomohiro-kun…" She pointed at the individual. "And that person is Miki Okazaki-san!"

The Super high School Level Seamstress could only answer "Would you like a detailed summary on my connection to Yoshi or the reason for his departure from his room? I shall gladly deliver both." To the eleven pairs of eyes on her.

* * *

**CLASS TRIAL SUSPENDED**

* * *

**So what do you think? Neat huh? Well anyway, the trial is suspended for the moment, but we will continue off next time! Anyway, from what you guys found, do you have any idea whodunit? Also, just a little note: this story is now available on Archive of Our Own! It might take a bit to upload everything, but just review for us… seeing no comment always makes a bad day. Until next time to the end of this trial and the beginning of the next Chapter Arc.**

**Question of the day: Who do you thing murdered Yoshi Yomohiro? **


	13. Class Trial: Countdown to Despair 1-2

**Good afternoon fellow readers! I hope you're excited as we are over the execution of [CENSORED], but before we can get there we have to get through the other half of the class trial, which is again still going on. Now then, I hope you guys have your thinking hats on because we will go through many new suspects and such, although I have to admit you guys believe you may have already figured out who done it… Whatever the case, the story goes on!**

**This whole thing was a complete job to work on! Bet you guys know what kind of music plays in your head or browsers when reading this. Oh yeah, we need something else from you guys: a few of you haven't yet replied on the portrait X that would appear on your character if/when they get killed, so please reply with them.**

**Also before we forget, xxpandaheroxx could you give us the link to your picture of Hana-chan? We lost the first one.**

**FYI: The symbols mentioned that were on the curtains in the trial are placed here. Random patterns of a crown, spool of thread, cupcake, sword, shark fin, ghost, rapier, gavel, music note, four-leaf clover, keyhole, chess piece, cross-hair, book, a smile face tattoo, and 123 arranged in a diagonal.**

* * *

**CLASS TRIAL RESUME**

* * *

The Super high School Level Seamstress could only answer "Would you like a detailed summary on my connection to Yoshi or the reason for his departure from his room? I shall gladly deliver both." To the eleven pairs of eyes on her.

"Okazaki-san… how would she know anything regarding Yomohiro-kun's death?" Hanako asked.

"That's because I talked with Okazaki-san a few days prior with Yomohiro-kun, both Sora-chan and Yoshikazu-kun can back me up on this," Auruka said. "And she mentioned something about the two of them." With resolve she said "Yomohiro Yoshi and Okazaki Miki are childhood friends."

Akihisa looked slightly shocked. "They're… childhood friends?"

Everyone turned towards Miki, who nodded in agreement. "That is correct. Yoshi and I had been friends for most of our lifespans. That is the absolute proof in which I would know any details to assist in this case, if you wish for me to discuss with them." A few of their faces morphed to sorrow as they realized Miki's actions this morning.

"So you guys knew each other… before all this?" Kousuke questioned.

"That is correct. I was in a friendship with him and knew him prior to this situation."

Diana looked over at Miki, tears forming. "So when we found his body… Why you… Oh my God… Miki I'm so sorry for what happened! That's why…" Before she started sobbing, Miki raised her hand.

"I do not understand why you are staring to cry," The voice was still and monotone and Diana could only stare with wet eyes. "Unless you are feeling guilt over his death. Would that imply that you are the killer in this case?" She formed a fist with her raised hand. "If so, then allow me to deliver swift righteous justice atop your cranium."

The Street Performer shook her head in quick movements, and it made it look like her head was about to fall off. "No, that not… I mean, I'm trying to sympathize with you. You had a best friend here who got murdered by someone in this room. If I was you I would probably have started crying and screaming the minute I found them. I mean, you did look a bit sad when you found Yoshi, but not enough emotion I'd suspect-"

"There is no need to showcase my emotions, as I simply feel them." Miki placed her hands over her chest. "Regarding this, I do feel an aching in my left breast, where the heart is located; this is tied to knowing the fact that Yoshi is dead. With that thought," She closed her eyes and took a breath. "I have willed myself to use my emotions for another form…" Opening her eyes and raising her fists, she proclaimed, "Delivering what they call a 'proper ass-kicking' to whoever committed this! And before that I shall deliver righteous justice upon them!

Diana- and a few others- looked stupefied. "That's… That's right!" She seemed to gain her pep and attitude back from Miki's declaration. "Righteous justice! Whoo!"

"Then Okazaki, would you give us some information as to why Yomohiro was outside during the night?" Jude asked.

"As you wish, I will discuss it." Lowering her fists, she continued. "Yoshi was blind as you may have noticed and that ruins his perception of time. As such, even with the announcements, he still would not be able to understand the time between. Another thing to consider is that Yoshi was the weakest of this group, mainly in his physical condition which left him vulnerable to being killed."

"Honestly, you could just paint a target on that kid." Nathaniel muttered.

Amane looked over to the Fencer. "Hey Van. Shut up." His face turned red and looked like he wanted to retort, but held his tongue.

Miki didn't seem to notice the interruption. "He also had times in which he slept through the morning announcement, as he enjoyed visiting his dreams. I at times came to wake him up."

"Visiting his dreams…?" Kanade looked a bit baffled.

"Another thing to consider is the fact that Yoshi adored all of you. He had discussed with me that he enjoyed his time here, even with the looming threat of death."

"He said that?" Kaishi asked, his frown pulled tighter when Miki nodded.

"Even with the threat of murder and dying at the hands of what's literally in our hands, he still had a positive outlook on the situation." Jude was trying to hold back from screaming. "God damnit, we're dealing with a sick bastard because they killed someone like Yoshi!"

"Well the, let's do our best to find the killer." Auruka said, resolved to solve this case.

"…" Sora was looking down at her feet, her bangs shielding her face.

The Cheer Captain turned his head to the Pastry Chef. "Soracchi, you okay?"

She snapped out of her daze and looked genuinely surprised. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." She shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Let's discuss what Mi-chan said."

Akihisa began. "He couldn't tell the time throughout the day…"

"Maybe he didn't realize that it was night when he left his room." Diana thought.

Hanako pointed out, "He should have at least noticed that other people weren't around."

"Besides he needed someone to help him right?" Kaishi raised a valid point.

"That is correct." Miki replied. "Only if someone was with him to lead him to the center."

"So he couldn't be on his own…" Isamu sighed in defeat.

"Maybe someone did help him…" Amane questioned.

Kanade was in deep thought. "Well… he didn't know what time it was, so maybe he wouldn't notice if it was probably the morning…" The discussion was left in the air as no one had an answer.

Auruka thought long and hard on what everyone said, and then it hit her. "That's it! That's what happened to him!"

"Wait, wait a second here! I'm so confused!" Kousuke exclaimed, gripping his hair.

"Well, it's just like Futonomi-kun said, about Yomohiro-kun not knowing what time it would be if he woke up." She said. "I bet the killer woke him up and told him what time it was, but instead they must have given a different time in the morning!"

The Good Luck scratched his head. "…Hey, does anyone know what room Yomohiro-kun was in?"

"I think it was Room 1, and Ko-kun can vouch for that, right?" Soar answered and the Tattoo Artist nodded eagerly.

"So that's it… they simply fooled him into thinking that it was morning in order to lure him to the center." Kaishi was brimming at the new revelation. "He probably believed, like the rest of us, that the center was closed during Night Time, so telling him that it was morning and leading him there was easy enough."

The Defense Attorney nodded. "That's right. Add in the fact that he trusted all of us, like what Okazaki-san mentioned…"

Amane finished for Auruka, dissatisfied with what she realized. "So what you're saying is that we still have no way to find out who did it or how he willingly gone without knowing the rest of us weren't there. Typical." Auruka held her tongue and tried hard to pass off a smile.

Diana waved away Amane's comment. "Still, the information is something to hold on to. After all, we now know the reason why Yoshi was out and about during the middle of the night, so A+ to you Micho!" She gave thumbs up to the Defense Attorney.

Auruka gave a half-laugh at Diana's cheerful remark. "…Thanks."

"Still, even with the information I had delivered, it brings the possibility of us correctly guessing the culprit in this is 8.333333333333% if we simply all guess on one individual."

Hanako was horrified at what Miki was suggesting. "We're… we're not going to vote randomly are we? Please tell me we're not."

The Seamstress shook her head. "No, but we still have nothing to move this case forward. Whoever the killer is, they had this all planed out: the time, using Yoshi's disability, and using a weapon that any one of us could use. The only thing we can now account for though would probably be the gender."

The Medium tilted her head in confusion. "The gender? Didn't we just discuss that a boy could've done this?"

Akihisa looked over at Hanako with clear conviction. "Yeah, but the fact that a dumbbell was taken from the girl's gym as Ikeda-san mentioned, then now we have to consider that the culprit is a girl. If they had to mess up the girl's gym then we could put boys back on the list, but it seems that the culprit is most definitely a girl."

Auruka nodded, seeing the pieces starting to fit together on the theory. "He's correct. Besides, a boy can have no access to the girl's gym unless they stole one of their ElectroIDs, and I believe none of you girls have theirs missing, am I right?" All the girls shook their head.

"Completely right! And just to let you all know that the only ID that was used was someone who's no longer in this world." Monokuma said as he pointed his paw at Yoshi's portrait.

"Oh my, that's too much for me to handle!" Mononeko screamed in joy.

Hanako twirled another strand of hair and glanced over at Amane. "Well what if the culprit is a boy and you just miscounted the dumbbells?"

"No, I counted the dumbbells in the gym and only found seven; I even searched throughout the gym with Futonomi." The Swordsman nodded and Hanako puffed out her cheeks.

"With that in mind, the killer had to have been a girl with the apparent crime scene." Amane said. "Setting up the crime to make us assume that a boy committed the act, distracting us from their true identity, even luring Yomohiro to the area in order to further the theory we had. It would have been the perfect crime."

"Considering this whole thing may have been a spur of the moment, it's easy enough to suggest that they wanted to commit the crime as quick as possible." Auruka said. "So then the killer may have forgotten to make it seem like the _both _genders could have done it by messing up the girl's gym as well. If they had, then we would have to consider the culprit being a boy."

Jude pumped his fist in the air. "So the suspect list has been split in half." He winked over at the girls across from him. "Well girls, I believe you owe me and the guys an apology."

The Street Performer turned red before exclaiming "Screw that! You tried to unlock our rooms and see us in the buff! I'll apologize to you on my deathbed and that'll be for knowing a pervert like you."

Jude shielded his eyes in what looked like a mock cry. "Wounding my heart now, dear."

"Cry me a river why don't you?" Diana barked.

Kanade interrupted the two before another murder break out. "Well, I think it's safe to say that Amaya-san and Micho-san aren't the culprits. She mentioned the sound that Amaya-san heard, so there's a definite chance that was the culprit that she may have heard this morning."

Kousuke looked confused. "If so, then why would they be moving around so early in the morning? They killed him at around 10 pm, so why would they be up and early before 8 am? It doesn't make much sense…"

Nathaniel only sighed. "Well think of it like this, you just murdered a boy your age and tried to make the crime scene look like someone of the opposite sex does it. You go back to your room where everyone is still sleeping and then what?" He gave an empty stare at Diana. "Do you really think that someone could have fallen asleep after doing that?"

The Tattoo Artist took a second to answer, mostly due to embarrassment. "I… I guess that's right. So the killer had moved around due to lack of sleep, but that's not what's important. What's important is that we now have four suspects."

Akihisa looked over at the suspects. "Right, we have Maiyuri-chan, Dimuc-chan, Okazaki-chan, and Ikeda-chan."

The Spy looked genuinely surprised. "Huh? I'm one of the accused?"

"You seriously didn't realize that?!" Auruka exclaimed.

Amane opened her mouth briefly, and then closed it, willing down the slight dust of scarlet. "Well no, I just assumed that I wouldn't be since I didn't commit the crime. I'm now a suspect though… I should have given this more thought."

"You know, for a Spy you can be a bit dense." Diana muttered.

"I don't know if she actually is seriously or just trying to get us off her trail… but the fact remains that she and the other girls are definite suspects. Even Okazaki, regardless of her connection with the Storyteller." Kousuke said with a grimace.

"You believe that I am the culprit. Then I believe that I should deliver swift righteous justice upon your views to convince you otherwise."

"You really like using that phrase." He muttered with a slight laugh, which died down from Miki's blank face.

Kanade looked horrified on the other hand. "So, I'm one of the accused? Please believe me when I tell you that I'm not the killer!" She exclaimed.

"K-Kana-chan can't be the killer, please believe her!" Sora yelled, tears brimming. "She can't be! She can't!"

Akihisa glanced at the Pastry Chef who shrunk away from him. "Huh? What makes you so sure about that?"

She turned red and looked down on her knitted hands. "U-Um… Well you see…"

"Do you think she's defending Maiyuri?" Jude asked. "They are roommates, so it's possible that she found out what she'd done and is trying to cover it up. From what I noticed, the two are quite close."

Keiichi raised a fist over at Jude. "Hey! Soracchi wouldn't do something like that!"

Kanade gave a small smile over to Sora. "Imayoshi-san you don't have to defend me if it will cause trouble for you."

"But you didn't do it, I know you didn't!" Sora exclaimed. Amane didn't think that was enough for a counter statement.

"How would you know that?" Sora didn't answer, but she looked like she was about to.

"Kana-chan didn't commit the crime at all!" She once again proclaimed.

"Where's your proof on this?" Amane asked

"Um… Well…"

Jude exclaimed, "I told you, she's defending her! She knows that Maiyuri did it!"

Sora began shaking slightly. "N-no! I'm not, I-"

Keiichi slammed his fists on the podium. "Stop bullying Soracchi, Judecchi!"

Akihisa clicked his tongue. "There are no witnesses to support your claim, so we don't know for sure if the tiny Pianist did commit the crime."

Kanade let out a deep sigh. "Please tell me that's referencing my height…"

"That's right, there are no witnesses to either support people's alibis or dissuade us from accepting them." Isamu said. "Maybe we should just vote already and pray for a miracle…"

Keiichi shook his head hard enough to give anyone else whiplash. "No way, no way, no way! There has to be someone who could help us, anyone!"

"Wait a second…"

Hanako looked over at the Defense Attorney. "What is it Auruka-chan?"

She slammed her fist on her palm, resolved from what she figured out. "I think we do have a witness, more or less."

Kaishi scratched his head. "But how is that possible? It was at night with no one around, so if there was a witness then how?"

"What if it's an accomplice?" Kousuke asked. "Or wait, is that possible?"

Diana looked up at the throne. "Hey Monokuma, what would happen if there was an accomplice? Would they get to leave too?"

The bear giggled. "Nope, only if someone murdered will they have the chance to leave. Any accomplices involve would be better off tossed aside in a pool of blood. Upupupu~"

"Well the fact remains, if my theory is correct, that there is a witness, someone who lied earlier to us, someone who didn't want anyone to know for some unknown reason." Auruka pointed a finger over at the witness. "And that person is you, isn't it?"

The Pastry Chef looked surprised for a second. "…Eh? Eeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhh?!" before she burst into a mixture of fear and horror.

Diana sputtered. "W-W-What?! Sora, is that true?!"

Kousuke held his arms up in a defensive stance. "Sora-chan is the culprit?!"

She cried, "P-P-Please let me explain! I didn't-"

Aural raised her hands. "Wait let _me_ explain on what I meant; I never said that she-"

"**Hey, hey, hey, you're wrong!"**

The Cheer Captain snarled at Auruka. "You're saying Soracchi did this aren't you? Even after proving her alibi, you doubt her?" He pointed an accusing finger at her. "Michocchi, there's no doubt about it!"

She didn't know how to react to this. "What are you- About what?"

"You're the killer and trying to pin the blame on her! You're lying about everything she said! That's the undeniable truth, truth, truth!"

Auruka couldn't believe this. "Oh for the love of…" Whatever the case, it seemed that she had to put some sense into him.

* * *

He began his argument. "Soracchi had no contact with the culprit…"

"It's obvious that it's you, because you did it!"

"You're trying to make her seem suspicious, because you did it!"

"There's no way Soracchi lied about anything, because you did it!"

Now it was her turn. "You're being repetitive and it's not going to help us at all!"

"I'm not saying that she's the culprit, but what Sora is saying about her alibi is still a lie!"

He still wouldn't listen to her. "No matter what you say, there's no proof she did it! There's no way Soracchi was in the center during that time!"

"Well then if that's the case I just have one question, specifically for Kurosawa-kun." Looking him in the eye, Auruka asked, "Tell me: how was the food?"

* * *

Kousuke scratched his cheek. "The food? What about it?"

"You seriously don't remember this morning? The food that you were eating in the kitchen, when Hanako-chan and I were talking to Sora-chan and the others, was found to be freshly made."

Hanako looked surprised and her eyes widened. "Wait a second… there was food in the kitchen? I thought that…"

The Tattoo Artist snapped his fingers. "Oh now I remember, the food in the kitchen was really good! I really needed something to get my mind off of what I saw and I managed to get a whiff of Sora-chan's cooking in the kitchen." He felt himself start to drool from remembering the food he had this morning. "It was really delicious; there was pancakes, boiled eggs, bacon, broiled fish, rice, and even dried seaweed with soy sauce."

He looked like he was going to continue listing, but Kaishi interrupted him. "We get it, you like food."

Amane followed up on Auruka's statement. "That's what makes it suspicious though, the fact that there was food made in the kitchen despite the fact that the kitchen was only open for what was probably less than an hour. Pancakes, bacon, fish, even dried seaweed takes time to make. That's what makes it completely suspicious with Sora's testimony. You even said so yourself Kurosawa- you smelled her food and recognized it!"

Sora shielded her face from the others. "Eyah! I'm sorry you smelled my cooking!"

Kanade looked shocked. "The food… even I didn't notice it when I was with Imayoshi-san for the entire investigation. So does that mean she-"

"I'm so sorry! It was an accident I swear! I just couldn't sleeeeeeeeeep!"

The Pianist didn't understand what Sora was screaming. "Huh? Couldn't sleep?"

Keiichi looked pale as he turned towards Sora. "Soracchi? Are you okay? Did… did you lie?"

"I had to, I had to, and I had to!" She cried. "It's so embarrassing; I didn't mean to do it!"

Kanade looked like she wanted to desperately comfort Sora. "Imayoshi-san, please calm down! We don't understand what you're saying. Please just take a deep breath and explain to us what happened." The Pastry Chef took a few breaths of fresh air to calm her nerves.

Nathaniel didn't even took a glance at her. "Better now, Pastry Chef?"

"Y-Yeah…"

Realizing that the whole situation had let up, Auruka said, "Sora-chan, now that you've calmed down why don't you explain what happened. Why was the food there in the kitchen?"

Sora bit her lip. "The food…Ko-kun was right about me cooking it. I actually had cooked all of it, but that was just for everyone else. I actually already ate about two hours ago."

Isamu didn't seem to catch on. "How did you…?"

"She was in the kitchen the entire night, weren't you?" Auruka asked.

The Pastry Chef only nodded before replying. "I didn't mean to be, really! You see, I haven't been sleeping for the past few days and I decided to pass the time by cooking." She frowned and looked down at her feet. "I've was in the kitchen after dinner and decided to make something to eat and by the time I finished my cake did I find that the kitchen door was locked."

Keisuke looked horrified. "You ate a cake…without me?"

"Forget that about! Soracchi, why would you want to stay up for twelve hours?!"

"T-Twelve hours?!" Diana exclaimed.

"Well I couldn't fall asleep in the kitchen because of the rules, so I had to stay awake." Sora said. She looked more embarrassed over the fact that she was caught in the kitchen than not sleeping. "I've actually gone without sleep on some occasions, and I usually just make sugary snacks to keep me up or I have a pot of ice-cold water nearby, but I can say that I wasn't lonely during the time."

Isamu looked a bit worried. "Please tell me you didn't start talking to the utensils."

"N-No, I had Monokuma and Mononeko with me for about an hour or so." The amount of shock on everyone's faces confused her.

"You…" Nathaniel said, "Were with the two for an hour?"

"Yeah. At first I thought that they were going to punish me for being out at night, but it turned out that they wanted a late-night snack. They really enjoyed the salmon I made." She gave a nervous smile and clasped her hands together.

"Let me see if I got this right." Akihisa said. "You were in the kitchen for twelve hours- with nothing better to do than cook- and ended up cooking salmon for the masterminds responsible for this freaking murder game. And not once did you even consider doing something better than cook some lousy fish?"

She frowned and looked up at the Swordsman. "It wasn't a lousy fish, he was cute!" She covered her mouth in fear. "Ah, I'm sorry for yelling! But it wasn't just a salmon, but fried battered salmon- I prepared it with a wide variety of spices and made sure it was put to a golden brown, then added a lemon zest to it and was able to serve with a side of rice."

Kousuke sobbed. "Unfair Sora-chan, unfair. You should have cooked for me~e."

"Kurosawa-kun, didn't you already have three plates this morning?" Kanade pointed out.

Mononeko stepped in. "I have to say, for having the title of Super High School Level Pastry Chef, she sure can cook! Ah, that salmon was delicious! I'm starting to salivate!"

Monokuma nodded. "True. Salmon is what makes a bear and cat worth living. Well, that and mutual killing. Meanwhile, I'm starting to get bored, so hurry up and find the killer!" He yelled.

"So it's true the." Amane said. "Imayoshi was in the kitchen for the entire night and has the alibis of both Monokuma and Mononeko to back her up. Yet the question remains, why did you lie about your alibi?"

"Well… I was afraid that I would be punished for staying up so late." Sora muttered. "It's so embarrassing to know that I did that. I even had that thought when the two came into the kitchen, and then again an hour later."

"Huh? You saw them again?" Jude asked.

"Yeah, an hour or so after we had salmon together; they scared me because they looked bigger and larger from outside the kitchen, but they didn't come in because the door was locked."

Diana stopped her. "Wait a second. Rewind. What do you mean they looked bigger from outside?"

"And could you say that again, for my sake?" Isamu asked with a cheeky grin.

Sora didn't seem to understand with his request or why Auruka and Amane didn't look too pleased. "O-Of course. I saw that they looked bigger and larger, but I thought that it was just the lack of sleep and the sugar rush I was going through. I peered at them from the door's window, but hid myself from being noticed; I don't think they even noticed me. I found that Monokuma was leading Mononeko passed the door and leading them to the right; the lack of light in the center didn't do much because I could see Mononeko's bright green color. After a while of waiting, they came back and went to the left. A few minutes had passed when Monokuma came back alone and he then left the center."

Kaishi frowned. "What the heck were those doing?"

"I don't know." "Me either."

Miki did not understand what the mastermind were implying. "What do you mean you two do not know?"

"Well that's because we weren't in the center at that time!" Monokuma said. "We were already full of fish and decided to go to sleep."

Akihisa scoffed. "Even you two sleep, huh?"

"Then who was the two that Imayoshi-san saw later in the night?" Kanade asked.

"I think it is pretty obvious who they were." Miki said.

Keiichi looked surprised. "Huh? For real?"

"Yes. Allow me to explain. Think back on the scene where Yoshi was discovered and you shall see the answer."

Auruka thought back on the crime scene, before asking, "Are you're talking about the pajamas that Yomohiro-kun was wearing?"

"His… pajamas?" Jude said.

Miki only nodded. "That is correct. If you would recall the crime scene you would notice that Yoshi was wearing not just pajamas, but more specifically an onesie. This onesie is special in its design and appearance with similarities to Mononeko."

"Oh, now that you mention it, I can see how it looks like the cat." Kousuke said with a smile.

Hanako raised her hand to get their attention. "Wait a second… I think I may have seen that outfit before. In the store that holds the pajamas, there was a case that Mononeko told me held two limited edition outfits."

Kaishi grimaced. "You're not going to say it was the onesie, are you?"

"Yeah, both of them. She told me that there was one that looked like Mononeko that was for boys only, and there was one that looked like Monokuma that was for girls only. They were one-of-a-kind originals that were the only ones in the store."

Sora nervously giggled. "Oh, so that's why they looked bigger and larger from my view."

"One more time…" Isamu whispered.

Amane was pondering on the information. "If that's the case, then that would mean that Yomohiro was wearing the Mononeko outfit as sleep wear. In fact, then what Imayoshi saw last night may have been Yomohiro's murder. The killer had led him to the hallway and ended him, but if that's applied to the Monokuma outfit…"

"Then obviously, the only person who killed Yomohirocchi is the one wearing the Monokuma outfit!" Keiichi exclaimed with resolve.

Jude realized what that meant and stared at a certain person. "Then that means…"

All eyes followed to the accused.

Mandy Dimuc did not look amused. "Oh you have got to be kidding me. I'm the killer?"

Kousuke looked satisfied and smiled. "You see, she admits it!"

Mandy sighed. "I see that simply conversations elude your clear understanding of proper pronunciation in sentence use. First, let me make it clear that the only reason I'm wearing this is because of personal reasons; I didn't suspect that the true culprit could imitate my outfit…"

Nathaniel glared at the Brainiac. "So you're denying that you're the culprit…"

"If the shoe fits. Besides, why would I wish to murder when I made it clear that I wanted to die as a group together?"

"Because you're a clueless girl." Amane said, ignoring the harsh lens glare given to her.

"Second, I want to point out to everyone, mostly to _you_, that the only reason I went for my idea was to save us."

"…Save us." Kaishi muttered.

Mandy gave a small smile that surprised a few of the students. "That's correct. Think about it, what choice do you expect when you're given the chance to murder or explode? I would rather all of us go out as a group then have a fellow student murder another." The smile vanished and left a face of melancholy. "But the truth remains that someone decided to escape this place by murdering someone like Yomohiro!"

Amane didn't look amused. "But you're still accused of being the culprit."

Mandy placed her finger under her chin. "Yes, I can see that. Though, the real important thing to consider is how obvious it is of myself being the culprit."

Kaishi scratched the side of his head. "How obvious? Isn't that a good thing?"

She scoffed. "Please. If I was the killer, do you think I would have done so in such obvious clothing? Amaya said so herself that there was only one Monokuma outfit and I'm wearing it. Why would I wear the outfit if it was the outfit worn during the murder?"

Jude realized she raised a valid point. "That… actually makes some sense."

"Plus there's one thing you haven't noticed considering my outfit." The Brainiac pointed at the Defense Attorney. "Micho, if you would?"

So she wanted her input then? Auruka took a long look at Mandy's outfit to try to figure out what the answer was.

"You're talking about blood stains." She finally said.

Mandy smiled. "Ehehehe, I see you're truly observant." That didn't really sound like a compliment.

"Blood stains… crikey of course." Jude pointed at various parts of Mandy's outfit. "If she murdered Yomohiro, then she should have at least a splash of blood on her, but look! Not a single drop!"

"And there's not any stain underneath on my clothes as well." Mandy pointed out.

"Huh? You're wearing other clothes under that?" Kousuke asked.

"Of course. I'm not some deviant who sleeps in the nude, unlike a few people." She glanced over at the Escapist and Good Luck, one of which started to blush. "Besides, I remember that a few days ago I spilled something on my pajamas; the stain had soaked through the fabric and managed to reach my shirt underneath, but that's not important right now. What's important is the outfit."

"There's only one Monokuma outfit," Nathaniel said, "So if Mandy had killed Yomohiro, then she should have gotten rid of it then wearing it to the trial. That means…"

"Mandy Dimuc is not the culprit. She never was and never will be." Auruka stated.

"Which means that the only people capable of committing the crime would be Ikeda, Maiyuri, or Okazaki." Jude sighed dramatically. "How sad. To think that one of those girls decided to kill dear little Yomohiro."

"I'm not a murderer! Please believe me!" Kanade declared.

"Wait a second, what about what I saw?" Sora half-yelled. "I know that I definitely saw Monokuma and Mononeko! Please believe Kana-chan and myself!"

Akihisa looked over at the Pastry Chef. "Then how do we explain the Monokuma you saw? If what you say is the truth, then how is it possible that we have someone else wearing another Monokuma outfit? As Amaya said, then there was only one Mononeko outfit and Monokuma outfit in this entire city, so we have no possible way that there could exist a second outfit."

"So then… the killer had to have blood stains on them…" Keiichi said.

Amane looked deep in thought. "Hmmm… hmmm…." She let out a breath of air to the side. "Well that's it for me, thoughts?"

"…I don't even know with you anymore…" Diana muttered.

Kousuke frowned. "Still, it should be easy enough to commit the crime. All you need is a Monokuma outfit-"

Nathaniel glared at the Tattoo Artist. "We just went over this. Only one Monokuma outfit exists and that's being worn by Mandy right now; there's no way anyone else can have an extra outfit."

"But that's not true. You can just pick up another one in the store."

Hanako gazed over at the Tattoo Artist. "Huh? What do you mean you can pick up another from the store? I just said that the store only had one Monokuma outfit."

He only waved his hand. "Well that's not true Amaya-chan, because the store has extras of that stuff. I know because I saw a pile of that stuff yesterday."

"…What did you just say?" She asked with clear alarm.

"Ko-kun said he found… more of the Monokuma outfit?"

Kousuke only nodded before continuing. "That's right. There were extras of the Monokuma and Mononeko outfit and the only reason why we didn't find them is easy enough. They were hidden in another room."

"Another room? How is that possible? I've been in that store every day that we've been here and I can say that I never ever saw another room in that store." Hanako pointed out.

"Well, it's obvious enough why you wouldn't be able to if it's hidden. As I said, I actually found out about the day before and it was by accident! Hidden behind a shelf of shirts was- ta-dah! -a hidden door!" He even gave the 'tah-dah' a show of jazz hands as if it was amusing. "I noticed that the shelf was moved out of place from the wall and when I was about to push it, I found the edge of the door on the wall."

"…it was behind a shelf?" Auruka asked.

"That's right. Naturally, I was ever so curious and decided to take a look. The only thing though, was that the room had the same pajamas as the ones in the store, like everything was just spares." This shocked most of the students. There was a hidden room in one of the stores?

Auruka didn't know if Kousuke was telling the truth or not, especially since he was smiling. "And in this hidden room, you noticed the extra Monokuma and Mononeko outfits? How do we know if this is true?"

"Well, it was because I got freaked out when I saw the piles and thought that it was Monokuma and Mononeko playing dead hundreds of times over, but then the two appeared and reassured me that they couldn't die." He scratched his cheek and laughed like he was reliving a funny memory.

"That's… not a thing to be happy about." Isamu said.

Kaishi only sighed. "So once again, the furry duo proves an alibi."

"Eyah! Big bro, they found out our terrible secret! Such despair it brings!"

"Such a pity. Well I guess you now know the truth." Monokuma laughed. "Our one-of-a-kind outfits are merely part of the global chain of revenue. Upupupu, but it does make things more interesting~"

"Great. So with what Kurosawa-kun said about the outfits, then I guess we have four suspects again. Regardless of what Dimuc-chan said, it's possible for her to wear another Monokuma outfit, right?" Mandy only looked to the side at Isamu's comment.

"So the killer knew about the hidden room that housed the extra outfits." Amane said. "With that, they dressed up in the Monokuma outfit in order to cover up their tracks."

"They made sure to use an outfit that everyone believed was only one of. That way, we would automatically believe that the one who picked the Monokuma outfit in the first place is the killer." Nathaniel smiled in amusement. "They believed that we would automatically point them as the killer and end the trial."

"So then, it's possible that one of the girls could have done it, especially since I know you all visited the store at some point." Jude pointed a finger at each of the accused girls, ignoring a few of the looks of anger.

"Well whoever they are, they definitely had an eye; the shelf did hide the door easily. The only reason I found it was because I accidentally dropped my glasses and looked around the floor." Kousuke brought out his glasses from his pants pocket. "Little fact, I don't need them to see."

"So then, what you're saying is that the killer had to have a good eye to find the hidden door." Auruka said. "They would then find the hidden room with the extra outfits and use that to their advantage in order to commit the murder."

Isamu clutched his temples. "Crap, now what do we do? We've been talking non-stop with not a single lead!"

Auruka didn't know why, but she placed a reassuring pat on the Good Luck's back. "Okay, why don't we look back and try to see if we missed anything? Let's go over the whole crime scene and try to see if we can find someone as the culprit." He looked a bit confused from the act of kindness, but grinned nonetheless.

"Alright, so the killer obviously was a girl who had discovered the hidden room that housed the extra Monokuma outfits." He said.

Nathaniel continued. "With that they began their plan and lead Yomohiro outside and towards the community center..."

Sora tried hard not to stutter. "They brought Yo-kun inside and first went to grab the dumbbell from the girl's gym. They led him over to where the boy's gym, but didn't realize I was still there in the kitchen watching them…"

"Then they killed him and managed to use his ElectroID to hide the dumbbell and his ID in the boy's gym, using that as a means to fool us." Miki still had her fists prepared to deliver righteous justice.

Keisuke finished for the review. "They went back to their room, but didn't go to sleep. That was the sound that Amaya-chan heard this morning." The courtroom was silent for a moment, letting the information sink in.

"Damn it, we got nothing!" Diana clawed at her hair. "There's no way we can figure out who found the Monokuma outfit and started this shit!"

Auruka took a deep breath and tried to think clearly. It's obvious that someone had to have found the hidden room, but who could- "Wait a second… Oh my God…" She turned pale immediately.

Hanako was the first to notice it. "…What it is Auruka-chan?"

She took a quick glance at the Medium before saying, "I… I-I think I know who it is…"

"What? Y-you know who the killer is?" Diana said.

"With what I thinking, I believe that I've come to the same conclusion as Micho on the identity of the culprit. Isn't that right?" Mandy pushed up her glasses and took a quick look over at who she believed was the culprit without them noticing.

Auruka turned away from the others view. "Well, maybe. But if what I think is true then-"

"Hurry up and tell us Micho-chan, so we can end this!" Isamu exclaimed.

Auruka could feel ice pool in her stomach, but she had to…

She had to point out the obvious killer! With that, she raised her hand and pointed at the accused.

* * *

**Holy tamales, that's enough for today! Well, the thing is, we kind of cut off the next part because of reasons, but at nest we'll upload again today or tomorrow! Also, does anyone want a hint on the Memory Theaters? Just say and we'll deliver then. And don't forget to save regularly! And don't forget to review us on this, if that's fine with you.**


	14. Class Trial: Countdown to Despair 1-3

"…Hanako-chan." Auruka said. "Please just give me something."

The Medium was genuinely confused at what Auruka was referring to. "…huh?"

"Give me a reason… Give me a reason on how you're not the culprit!"

The Medium took a pregnant pause, blinking a few times as if in a daydream. "…what? Y-You…you think I'm the k-killer?" She asked with a slight quiver, the horror at what Auruka was saying clearly showing.

"Hwa-wha-what?!" Kousuke sputtered. "Hanako-chan is the killer!?"

Hanako was on the brink of tears. "Auruka-chan…"

"Hey, what makes you think that the killer is Hanako-chan?" Isamu asked. "Didn't we just discuss that you guys are innocent?"

Auruka didn't even look at Hanako and turned away from her. "I'm not saying she's the definite killer…but don't you think it's strange?"

Mandy looked interested. "Strange…?"

"I mean, the killer had to have been someone who hung around the store the most in order to find the hidden room. I…I don't know anyone else who spent more time than Hanako-chan…" Auruka pointed out, and Hanako froze.

"…"

"So then, you're pulling the theory that she committed the crime then?" Mandy only pushed her glasses up once gain. "I must saw it does seem to make coherent sense."

"You believe her?!" Jude exclaimed.

"Ha… ha… Hana-chan is the killer?!" Sora looked about close to passing out, while Keiichi was close by to catch her.

Kanade clutched her hands to her chest. "Why would you want to pin such a heinous crime on someone like her, Micho-san?"

Auruka looked torn. "I don't…I don't want to believe it…but we need to look at every possibility…I think. I don't want it to be true…so I'm asking you to please prove me wrong if you can!" She wanted to reach out and hold Hanako's hand and show she had some faith in Hanako.

Hanako had her head down and didn't say anything for a moment; she brought her head back up and murmured. "…Auruka-chan…I can't believe it… I can't believe what you're doing… To place the blame on me for your crime…"

"What?"

"To think that you're trying to convince everyone I did it…" Hanako began cradling her face as tears began pooling in her eyes. "Auruka-chan, I thought we were friends…Y-You murdered Yomohiro-kun and now you're trying to make everyone think that I did it."

"Again, what?" Auruka didn't even know how to react to what the Medium was even implying.

"E-Everyone is being led by you to think I committed the crime." Hanako had a look of betrayal. "I realize that now, what you're doing in this trial is trying to pin the blame on me because I slept in your room. It makes so much sense now…"

Auruka didn't like where this was going, but asked, "What does?"

"It's just like Yoshikazu-kun said, Auruka-chan is the culprit!" The Medium moved as far as she could from the Defense Attorney and accusingly pointed at her. "She did it, she killed Yomohiro-kun! There's no doubt about it! She spent time with me and used that against me when she plotted out the murder!" Only a few people actually looked at Auruka with fear, while the others only looked on at horror at what Hanako was saying.

Amane wasn't it buying it one bit. "Is that really your best argument?"

Diana looked freaked out. "I don't even know who to follow anymore!"

Auruka looked over at Hanako, who was trying hard to keep crying. She swallowed the lump in her throat and decided to press on. "…So that's what you're saying? I killed him…?"

Hanako bit her bottom lip. "W-Well I… Yes, that's what I'm going with. It's the truth."

"Fine then. I'll cut through every contradiction." Auruka didn't even try to reconsider. "I'll discover the truth. I'm sorry…" Hanako gritted her teeth but said nothing. Knowing that they had to involve themselves, the rest of the students went with the discussion.

"So is it agreed then?" Kanade asked tensely. "The killer could have been Micho-san or Amaya-san?"

"It's definitely Michocchi, no doubt! Someone like her is guilty without a doubt!" Keiichi exclaimed.

Sora tugged on Keiichi's arm. "B-but Auru-chan and Hana-chan both went to sleep in the same room, right? A-and Hana-chan said she heard a noise this morning?"

"What if what she said is a lie then?" Akihisa crossed his arms. "If what we take into context, then only three girls are accounted for being awake before the morning announcement. It seems that the information that Amaya gave us seems too coincidental."

"Why would I lie?" Hanako asked with no emotion, startling a few.

Auruka turned away from this girl. "An alibi possibly; you could strengthen your innocence by claiming you were up because of a noise you heard. Add in the fact you were in the same room with myself and…"

"I would also like to consider this." The Brainiac looked over at the Street Performer. "Diana would you please answer: was anyone awake at the time you headed to the community center?"

"N-No…" Diana paused to calm down. "I made sure to be as quiet as I could, and there's no doubt that I didn't hear anyone up at the time. I wanted to keep the breakfast a surprise so I made sure no one heard me."

Mandy shut her eyes and looked to be in deep thought. "Besides that, remember what Imayoshi said."

"W-What I s-said?"

"_Um… I remember asking Hana-chan and Ko-kun as well, but they were both busy in their own way."_

Isamu scratched his head. "Amaya-chan was asked by Imayoshi-chan to help her prepare breakfast, but she said no." Realizing what that meant, he exclaimed, "From then on, you knew that the center was open all day!"

Hanako gripped her hair. "T-That's not… not true."

Kanade was shaking in her podium. "Are we really considering this? Are we really starting to think Amaya-san did this to Yomohiro-kun? Not Micho-san?"

"I… don't want to doubt either," Auruka could feel the breath leave her chest. "But it does seem suspicious the more we discuss it. So what the hell, if it gets us closer to the truth then so be it!"

Miki didn't seem to like it, but she continued. "If we apply what we learned, then Hanako used her accommodation with Auruka in order to commit the crime. Once Auruka had gone to sleep, then Hanako had slipped away in order to reach the boy's rooms and lure out Yoshi. I see."

"N-no you're wrong! I heard a noise, I definitely heard it!" Hanako was gripping the hair on her head even harder, a few strands coming off. "Why would you doubt me so easily; I've been nothing but a good person to you guys!"

Amane accepted the challenge. "If so, then give us something else to prove you're not the culprit. We will gladly accept another alibi, or we'll simply go ahead and vote on either of you two."

The Medium didn't enjoy that cruel joke and snarled, "Fine, then how about this!? The murder occurred two hours after the Night Time announcement right? But let me tell you, that I. Was. Asleep." She removed her hands from her curly hair and put them in her pants pockets. "I was asleep before everything and Auruka-chan can even defend me despite it!"

"H-Hanako-chan…!"

"I was asleep two hours before the murder occurred. Hell, I'll even give another statement- Auruka-chan woke up before the morning announce because of me!" Hanako had brought her hands out and was gripping onto various scraps of paper.

Kousuke started to become afraid of Hanako's personality. "Because of you…?"

"Yes. She woke up because of me. I heard the noise this morning- I did hear it! -and I closed the door and woke her up because of the sound." The Medium's voice started to differentiate between calm and hysteric. "If I did commit the murder, that would mean I left when Auruka fell asleep, and if she woke up at the sound of a door closing, then I'm sure that she would wake up the minute I tried to leave!"

Kaishi didn't want to step on the landmine. "Well that's…"

"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Amane was having no clear enjoyment or carefulness with Hanako. Hanako was probably about to say something horrid, but Isamu interrupted.

"No way, it's totally true. Let me tell you that when the door closes in my room, even I get scared. No matter how gently you try to close it, you can definitely hear the sound."

"But in the hallway, it doesn't really sound loud…" Kanade looked to the side. "Maybe it had to do with the room itself? It could be that the shape of it reverberates the sound of the shut door."

"See, even Maiyuri-chan sees it! There's no way that I could have left the room, so there; I'm totally innocent!" The half-crazed laughter was something that Auruka couldn't tolerate.

"Even if you claim innocence, I'm sure that we can find the contradiction." She said.

Hanako only glared. "…Then prove it…" Unclenching her hands, the Medium posted the paper scraps all over her podium; on closer inspection they were revealed to be spiritual charms. "Prove it or suffer my curses!"

"I went to sleep and that's it. If Auruka-chan heard me, then it had to have been in the morning." Hanako calmly stated.

"There has to be a contradiction in her statement." Akihisa said.

Isamu scoffed. "Well I'll tell you when I find it."

"I. Went. To. Sleep. That's all that happened. Why won't anyone believe me!?" She gripped the podium and her knuckles turned white.

"Maybe if you didn't bat-crazy after being accused…" Jude remarked, only to have a paper charm thrown at his head.

"I'll curse you! I'll curse, curse you, curse you!" Hanako exclaimed, scaring Auruka and the others.

"H-H-Hana-chan, please!" Sora pleaded. "J-Just calm down!"

"I have an air-tight alibi from here on! Auruka-chan saw me fall asleep and therefore I wouldn't be able to leave the room at all! Now believe it or be cursed by my talismans!" She was about to throw even more from her pockets before someone exclaimed.

"**No that's wrong!"**

Hanako froze at what Auruka said. "I never said that I saw you go to sleep, only that I saw that you were asleep."

Hanako crushed the charms that were in her hands. "…What's wrong with that?"

"Ah, I see then. Excellent work then Micho." Mandy smiled. "Can I ask why you only saw her asleep?"

"I'm really confused with what Michocchi said…" Keiichi sighed.

"You see, I was taking a shower before I went to bed. I forgot about the Night Time announcement and when I realized it was eight did I leave; I found that Hanako was deep in the little bed she made and I assumed that she had fallen asleep, so I followed her and went to bed. The only time I saw her after that was when she woke me up." She looked at the deep shock on Hanako's face, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Ghk!"

"So what you're saying is that you saw 'her' in the bed she made, and then went to sleep." Akihisa looked down at one of the charms near his foot. "It appears that we've found something to poke holes at."

"What the heck are you guys talking about?" Diana asked as she pulled a charm out of her hair.

Sora covered her mouth in horror. "…T-They're s-saying that… she didn't go to sleep."

Diana froze while still holding onto the charm. "What?"

"Then, are you saying that what Micho-chan saw last night wasn't Amaya-chan asleep?" Kousuke asked with shock. "Then who was that?"

Diana snarled. "My bet's on Pervy McPervington!"

"I apologized didn't I?!" Jude cried.

Nathaniel let out a short laugh. "Obviously it was blankets and pillows made to look like the Medium, isn't that right? She used this as a means to trick Micho into believing that she was asleep so they wouldn't have suspected her, this giving her the chance to sneak out when Micho was taking a shower to have her plan in motion."

Kanade was beginning to feel faint. "But why wait such a long time to get Yomohiro-kun? He would have been killed two hours later."

"She may have waited for everyone to be asleep so she could commit the crime." Despite her calm façade, Miki was clutching the podium with such strength. "Once she had believed that all of us were, Hanako's plan would be in motion. Now I am feeling pumped up to deliver righteous justice."

"Wait a minute here." Hanako whispered. She took a deep breath before screaming, "_Wait a god damn minute! _You're all saying that I'm the killer because of what, huh!? All because I hang around a certain store and all because I went to bed first!? You want something else then?!" She proceeded to rip up the paper charms in her hands, scattering confetti around her.

Auruka shielded herself from the onslaught of scraps. "What are you-"

"That's it then…You guys won't quit until you think everything is in place…" Hanako reached into her pocket and took out more paper charms. LI-I won't back down so easily now…! I'm not gonna give up like a loser, I'm going to prove my innocence!"

Amane frowned. "What is this…? Are you actually going along with this?"

Sora's knees buckled and she held onto the podium to support herself. "I-I-Is it t-true, H-Hana-chan? Did you r-really k-kill Y-Yo-kun?"

"I'll curse you all with my rebuttal! Curse you, curse you!" She brought out a larger paper charm and taped it to the front of her podium. "Here it is: Dimuc-san said that the killer wore the Monokuma outfit and killed Yomohiro-kun, so that would mean that they at least gotten some blood on them! It's even enough to say that the killer slipped on the blood and had blood on their back after disposing of the ElectroID!" Her proclamation left a few students with their mouths hanging open.

"Why would you say that…?!" Kaishi shouted. "Even we don't know if that's true!"

Auruka wanted to throw up. "Are you…actually admit-"

"Curse you, curse you! I say what happens, even if it's true or not." Hanako gave a cheery smile. "The point remains, that if the killer got blood on them, then it would have seeped through the Monokuma outfit and stained the outfit, but look at me! Clean as can be! And don't even say that I was in the buff!"

Diana gulped. "What if you changed clothes after killing Yomohiro? That also explains why you aren't wearing the Monokuma outfit!" She then had another paper charm thrown at her face.

"Is that really your argument?! That's not enough to prove that I'm the killer! Not enough, not enough! It's never enough until the spirits finally rest!"

Amane only scoffed. "It appears that this is her final argument… Well then, let's prove her wrong." She looked to Auruka who could only nod warily. This had to be done… right?

"Auru-chan… Hana-chan…" Sora whimpered.

Hanako was clearly out of her mind…"I'll curse you…I'll curse you all! Curse, curse, curse!" Auruka had to… she had to stop this madness! "I have no connection to the Monokuma outfit, none whatsoever!"

* * *

"Stop bullying me…!"

"Look into your hearts!"

"I'll curse you, curse you!"

"Auruka-chan!"

"Why won't you believe me!?"

"Can you stop acting like I'm guilty!?"

"Stop it or I'll curse you!"

"The spirits don't agree on this!"

* * *

"**If I did kill Yomohiro-kun, the how come my clothes aren't stained; where's the proof?"**

**Diana Valentine's Own Statement**

"**This is the end!"**

* * *

Auruka had no idea where this burst of confidence came from, but she wouldn't waste it! To counter Hanako, she exclaimed. "If you want a final piece of evidence, then here it is! Recall what Diana-chan said about last night."

"What I said last night? What are you-" Diana froze. "Oh my God."

"_Yeah… you okay? A little embarrassed that I can see your chest through your shirt?" She pointed at the way the skins showing through the white shirt she was wearing._

"She said that you were wearing a white shirt when she saw you, and if you look right now then…" Auruka directed everyone's attention to Hanako's shirt, which was black instead of the white Diana remembered.

Hanako's entire body was shaking. "T-That's…I…I…"

"Wearing a white shirt would definitely carry some staining of blood from the Monokuma outfit," Amane pointed. "And the only way to hide it would be to wear another shirt."

Kanade whined. "Amaya-san, you didn't…"

Keiichi stepped away from Hanako. "Amayacchi… is the killer? This is… impossible…"

"So even with disposing of the Monokuma outfit and the shirt, she still gave herself away…" Mandy said with no clear emotion.

"I…I…"

"Hanako-chan had stained herself with the blood and probably disposed of the clothes in her room." Auruka groaned. "She probably did it early in the morning before the morning announcement… and then you opened the door connecting our rooms, went through and closed it to wake me up and give yourself an alibi."

"T-T-That's…. That's…" For some reason or another, the paper charms on her podium began dropping.

"Ah, so then the mysterious footsteps she heard this morning turned out to be herself… quite clever actually." Akihisa remarked.

"Time out, time out! This is getting really, really serious!" Kaishi could barely believe what they were even talking about.

"I still do not fully understand the situation. I believe an overview is needed to full figure on the case on the murder. May someone please explain?" Miki asked.

"…I'll do it." Auruka said. "I'll explain how the whole thing went down." She looked over at Hanako, who had her head down, emotionless. "And I hope that you, Hanako-chan, will be strong enough to just admit it in the end!"

Hanako brought her head up a bit to see the care in Auruka's eyes. "…Auruka-chan…"

* * *

"**Here's how it went down!"**

* * *

**Act 1**

To begin the murder, we have to go back and consider the whole motive behind it: the watches strapped to our wrists and the video all of us received. Now we go back possibly a few days before this, as the killer managed to find a hidden room in the clothes store, full of hidden clothes including the Monokuma and Mononeko outfits, which we considered to be one-of-a-kind.

And then yesterday, Sora-chan had actually asked the killer if they would help prepare breakfast, letting them be one of the few people to know the truth about the community center. From that point on, they had hatched a plan that would send in motion all of these events.

* * *

**Act 2**

On the night of the murder, the killer began their plan which involved them going to the store and getting the Monokuma outfit, which was a necessity for their plan. On accident they ran into Diana-chan, who made small chat with them for a short period. After dismissing themselves, the killer had went back to their room and gathered their things. They may have hidden the Monokuma outfit in their room as they went to the door connecting to my room, asking if I could let them spend the night. This was just their way of having an alibi and hoping to prove their innocence.

It must have been an even bigger convenience when I decided to take a shower. As I left, the killer had proceeded to make the bed they made in my room look like they them self was asleep and fooling me; with that set up, the killer left my room and possibly went back to theirs. From then on the killer may have had to wait an hour or two before they assumed that everyone had fallen asleep. They then dressed up in the spare Monokuma outfit, left their room, and headed for the boy's apartment.

* * *

**Act 3**

The killer had decided to murder someone who would be the weakest and easiest to attack: Yomohiro Yoshi. Sneaking inside the boy's apartment, the killer went to Yomohiro-kun's room and lured him out, possibly with Sora-chan's news about fixing up breakfast. Leading him along, they brought him to the center; with him unaware of the true time or the truth about the center, he believed that it was possibly morning. Inside the community center, the killer led the Storyteller to the girl's gym first in order to begin their grisly crime. Using their ElectroID, the killer had successfully managed to acquire the murder weapon- a small, yet doable dumbbell- and went back to Yomohiro-kun. They then led him over to the boy's gym, believing their plan was flawless.

The only flaw in the crime would most definitely be the addition of the Super High School Level Pastry Chef having accidentally locked herself in the kitchen for the night, allowing her to catch a glance at the killer and Yomohiro-kun. The killer did not realize this and continued on with leading Yomohiro-kun to the hallway outside the boy's gym. At that point, the killer did what they wanted in the beginning… and killed Yomohiro-kun with the dumbbell.

* * *

**Act 4**

With their dirty deed done, the killer moved on to the next part of their plan. Now this may have been a spur of the moment, as none of us knew if using another students ID was possible, but it proved to be true in the killer's case. They entered the boy's gym using Yomohiro-kun's ID and decided to make the gym look like the attack took place in there. They took the dumbbells from the rack and threw them throughout the gym, making us believe in the theory of the attack. Of course the killer didn't know that Amane-san would investigate the girl's gym and discover the missing dumbbell, so they only messed up the boy's gym. They then left Yomohiro-kun's ID in the gym floor as well as the dumbbell used in the murder in the gym and left.

We don't know if this did happen, but the killer slipped on a bit of blood and manage to stain their clothes. Ignoring this, the killer left the center and was able to be seen once again by Sora-chan and headed back to their room. The killer may have not been able to be sleep after this and may have stayed awake through the night and decided to at least change their clothes because the blood had stained through the Monokuma outfit. Then, before the morning announcement, the killer had another idea that would involve creating another alibi, with them not realizing that once again, Diana-chan was out and about as she headed to the center. They went through the door that connected our rooms and snuck in quietly, before shutting it to wake me up and allowing themselves able to create an alibi.

From all this information combined, it's true that the only culprit could be you! So please, just please accept your mistake, Amaya Hanako!

* * *

"Please Hanako-chan, just please fess up and confess!" Auruka begged; the Medium had calmed down but was not saying anything.

"…"

"What's wrong? Can't look us in the eye?" Mandy teased. "Are you too afraid to admit defeat?" Auruka didn't know how much she wanted the Brainiac to shut up.

Hanako only sighed. "…No that's not it. I'm just… elated…."

"Elated?" said Nathaniel.

"I'm just so surprised at how stupid I was… but now I can freely admit it…" She chuckled. "Auruka-chan, thank you for making me realize my mistakes…" She smiled at the Defense Attorney.

"Hanako-chan…"

Kanade was in awe. "Amaya-san, you really did…?" But before Hanako could answer, Monokuma interrupted.

"Okay, it seems that the arguments are coming to a close then! Then I guess it's time for the vote!"

Mononeko joined in. "If you would all kindly bring out your ElectroIDs, you'll see the voting page that has uploaded. From there you just need to pick the person you think is guilty, and no take-backs! Now get to voting!" The students took out their ElectroIDs to find that the screen had changed. A list of everyone's pixel icon appeared, with Yoshi's face blackened out, and a little check box was next to each student.

A few of the students instantly voted, while a few took their time; Auruka didn't know why she was thinking about the choice.

"Auruka-chan. Please don't make the wrong choice for my sake, just vote on who you know is the true killer." Auruka could only close her eyes as she tapped on the check box. Just as the last vote was placed did a most interesting thing happened. The throne rose up even higher and from beneath it did a large slot machine appear; the three slots started turning, showcasing everyone's face on the slots and kept going for a few seconds along with a drumroll. Finally they slowed down, and the faces lined up.

* * *

**Voting Results**

**(Hanako Amaya) (Hanako Amaya) (Hanako Amaya)**

**Congratulations!**

* * *

Cheering and confetti rained down from the ceiling and Monokuma and Mononeko jumped off the throne and into the center space of the courtroom, both looking quite pleased. "Hmm, well it seems," Monokuma said. "You bastards got it right! Amazing that such stupid students solved a murder case!" He continued to guffaw ferociously and startled a few of the pale-faced students.

"That's right big bro." Mononeko giggled. "The one who murdered dear little Yomohiro Yoshi was none other than Amaya Hanako! Such a cruel tale to come forth, but man is it funny!" The courtroom was filled with their high pitched laughter for a short moment, as no one had anything to say. Everyone stared at the Medium as she only gave a weak smile to them.

Diana was near tears as she covered her mouth. "N-No way… it's actually true…? H-Hanako is the killer…?" A barrage of tears poured as Hanako nodded.

"It's true. Everything is true. I killed Yomohiro-kun. I'm the killer for this case. I'm the Blackened."

Auruka could feel the strength leave her body as she collapsed on her legs, startling the students nearest her. She looked down on the courtroom floor, at the tear stains beneath her, a dark feeling forming deep within her. She solved the case, she found the killer, she solved the case, she found the killer, she solved the case, she found the kill-

A warmth enveloped her body and she looked to see a familiar bush of hair clogging her nostrils and mouth. Hanako would only dig her head deeper into Auruka's neck; Auruka could feel the soft skin of Hanako's face and nothing else. No tears like the rest of the students, only a gentle smile that was pushed deeper into the Defense Attorney's neck.

"Auruka-chan, no tears for me. Please." Hanako pushed herself away from the embrace and looked in Auruka's eyes, comfort and concern was clear in them. "You shouldn't cry for someone as vile as I am. After all, I'm a killer." Auruka only gave a wretched sob as her hair shielded her face.

"So it's true then, about everything you did." Amane was one of the few people not crying or holding back tears. "When did you discover the hidden room in the store?"

Hanako stood up and gave a small smile to the Spy. "About two days ago. I made sure to keep it a secret because I was worried someone would use it for murder." She looked over at Yoshi's portrait with somber. "I just didn't expect myself to be the killer."

"You're taking this admittance too easily." Akihisa said. "Just a minute ago, you were going bat-shit crazy over not being the killer."

"Yeah. But that's…not important." Kanade brushed away and dried the tear trails on her face. "Amaya-san… can you please just give us a reason? Please, can you tell us why you did it?"

Hanako looked surprised for a moment, before a frown formed on her face. She closed her eyes and placed her hand over her heart, taking a moment before saying, "For love."

"F-For love?" Auruka stuttered.

Hanako smiled and nodded. "Yes, for love. The love that I held for my special person." She began speaking more passionately. "This person is what I kept in my heart for as long as I've been here, ever since I got ready to head to Hope's Peak. They've been in my heart for almost as long as I lived; I really…" She stopped. "Really… really…" The mask crumbled away instantly and the Auruka looked up to see Hanako's eyes on the brink of a cascade.

"I really love my grandfather…" She tearfully cried. "I would do anything to see my grandfather… and I just didn't want to leave him alone. Grandpa… grandpa… he's the only family I have left! My mom and dad had died when I was just a kid, and grandpa was the only family that I had left. I didn't think that this whole thing was real: killing a student to escape, having bombs strapped to our wrists, going out in a group suicide. But when I saw that video…" She sobbed. "I just couldn't…"

"So that's it…" Amane didn't even look satisfied with discovering the killer, instead she looked torn. "You saw something happen to your grandfather on the video. And I take it that's what you set you off?" She was confused when Hanako shook her head.

"That's not it! Even when I saw my home destroyed, that didn't make me want to kill… instead it was the letter I had received the following day. This one." She once again reached into her pants pocket and took out a pink sheet of paper. On it was a grisly message.

* * *

_Watch your back. Unless someone is killed soon, then I'll come after you. You'll never expect it and if you try to tell anyone, I'll know. I'm going to leave this city one way or another._

* * *

"I found it slipped under my door. That was the breaking point for me then. I knew that if I even asked Auruka-chan, then I was as good as dead."

"Someone… threatened you?!" Kousuke started looking over every student in fear.

"It's too late to even try to be suspicious, Kurosawa-kun. They got what they wanted." Hanako reached a hand towards Auruka, who gripped it as she was pulled up. "So, please. Just don't worry about this anymore. Just promise me one thing: escape this place together! I don't…I don't want anyone else to die like Yomohiro-kun."

Auruka could only continue crying. "Hanako-chan…you…"

"Hey! We didn't want sappy romance in this trial! We need to end this right now!"

"Big bro is right! We need to press on with the next part! The punishment!"

Auruka froze at Mononeko's words. "The… punishment…?"

The bear looked angry. "Well yeah, what do you expect!? It's what happens to the killer in a class trial, like with all trials. Ex-e-cu-tion."

"E…Execution?!" Jude exclaimed.

"Yup, yup." Mononeko said. "Like with all criminals, murderers, and witches, they all get execution! And Hanako-chan fits all of all the categories. Now then, for the Super High School Level Medium Hanako Amaya, let's start." Jumping onto the base of the throne, the two started climbing up.

"So let's give it everything we got!" They yelled in unison. "It's punishment time!"

"Wait a second! Please just tell me at least," Hanako begged. "What happened to my grandfather?! Why can't I remember what happened?! Tell me!?" They didn't pay attention and everyone watched in horror as the execution for Hanako Amaya began.

"_Grandpa!"_

In another time or place it would have been cute: a large button appeared in front of the stuffed siblings and both had a mallet in hand. Suddenly, Monokuma pushed Mononeko away as he slammed his mallet on the button, a squeak sound being made. The execution would now start.

* * *

**Game Over**

**Hanako Amaya has been found guilty. Commencing Execution.**

* * *

The courtroom was pitch black, before spotlights appeared in a circle around the students. Then a large chain came out of nowhere and snapped itself to Hanako's neck, with her instinctively gripping her throat. The chain snapped and pulled her back to an opening that appeared from one of the walls and being the nearest, Auruka reached for Hanako, her hand only a few centimeters from her before being pulled to the light. Hanako barely had any time to scream.

Hanako Amaya now found herself back in her clothes, the ones she originally arrived in. The chain had pulled her to an unknown room and she now found herself strapped to a rather tall tombstone, her arms and legs bound with chains. The room itself now looked to be a traditional Japanese cemetery, the smell of incense burning.

* * *

**Grave Encounters**

**Super High School Level Medium Hanako Amaya's Execution**

* * *

Suddenly a large wall of concrete landed a few feet from her, and then another from behind her, then two more to her left and right. She heard something above her and looked up to see what looked to be a metal slide pointing down at her from a foot high; she only realized what it really was as mud poured from it. It was pouring down at an alarming rate and already the soil was up to her knees. It rose higher, and higher, and now was covering her from the neck down. She awaited the suffocation, but soon felt her throat being red from the mud and soon realized that she was being pushed up by the mud.

She felt a shot of relief, until she heard a rumble from the wall in front of her. The wall toppled and soon Hanako found herself being poured out of her prison, still strapped to the tombstone. For some reason or another, she found herself in her back as the tombstone slid down the mud avalanche, but she worried over what would happen next. She tilted her head back to try to see in front of her and was horrified to see a cliff at the end. She closed her eyes as she neared the peak and son found herself weightless for a brief moment, before gravity came back for her. And then she was falling at an alarming rate down to the ground.

A large smash was heard, and the tombstone shattered beneath a statues feet. It was a stone angel and was had its arm out, with Hanako lying on them and looking as if she was being carried by the angel. She looked almost peaceful, but the large spike that was between the angel's arms looked painful as it was gutting out of Hanako's chest, coated pink at the tip. Nonetheless, Monokuma and Mononeko continued with their prayers nearby at the other graves.

* * *

The students could only look on in horror at what they just witnessed from the monitor that appeared in the courtroom. Then came the screaming and wailing from Auruka followed by most of everyone else. It didn't stop until Monokuma and Mononeko arrived and told them the elevator was ready to take them back.

Auruka didn't even remember when she stepped in the elevator, but she did hear a strange beeping on her wrist. She forgotten all about the watch and looked to see that the number was going up until it stopped at the double digits.

* * *

**10 days left**

* * *

"Think of it as compensation." Monokuma said as the elevator started to rise. "A means to continue on this glorious field trip. After all, we only get a few days to relax~" His howling laughter was the last thing the students heard, as the elevator took them back to their school trip in Hell.

* * *

**End Chapter 1: Countdown to Despair**

**Next: Chapter 2: Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing?**

* * *

**Congratulations, you revived the item: Bloody Mononeko Outfit and Dirt Soiled Veil!**

* * *

**And we're done! Yes done, done, done! And because we feel extra nice, we're going to give you guys a bonus: ta-dah! The extra prize is the secret message from the Memory Theater puzzle! We'll only do this once, so just remember that. Good luck on solving.**

**20-8-5-0-3-9-20-9-26-5-14-19-0-1-18-5-0-4-5-1-4-0-1-14-4-0-20-8-5-0-19-9-24-20-5-5-14-0-8-1-22-5-0-2-5-5-14-0-3-1-16-20-21-18-5-4. 21-12-20-9-13-1-20-5-0-4-5-19-16-1-9-18-0-8-1-19-0-9-14-22-1-4-5-4.**


	15. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-1

**Welcome back everybody, to another glorious day of The City Life of Mutual Killing! If you have any complaints, then please fill out this form and place your opinions on so we could properly dispose in the nearest trashcan. Thank you and good morning. And remember, you need to save often because you don't know when someone will die. Let's all pray for another despair inducing day here in Ge-(The name has been censored due to spoilers.) City.**

**But then again…I'm sad to say that I've grown bored with writing this story, so I'm abandoning this story. So… enjoy I guess? Sorry guys, but I just got into this new thing that actually is pretty old, but I love it: Sword Art Online!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing?**

* * *

**14 Students Left**

**9 Days Left**

* * *

**Memory Theater**

"_It's no use," she whined. "There's no way he can even take a hint!" She puffed out her cheeks and proceeded to throw a tantrum, even when she was the eldest of three. It's not fair! Why couldn't the stupid guy take a stupid hint that she had a stupid crush on his stupid face? "Ah, I'm just gonna grow old and have three cats and I'll name them all Bunny!"_

_The girl next to her giggled at the thought. "That would be pretty confusing then, don't you think? I'm only joking Ru-chan, we'll show him that you have feelings for him yet!" A leering grin appeared on her face as she closed her eyes and began daydreaming. "Then you guys can get down and dirty! Preserve hope!"_

_The other girl pinched the perverted girl's cheeks. "Get your head out of the gutter. Come on, it's getting dark and the store should be closing soon. You promised your grandpa that you were getting dinner, right?" she asked. Easing the sting she received from Ru-chan, the girl nodded._

"_But Ru-chan, you really shouldn't worry about him. I'm sure that he'll fall for you soon." She said._

"_Yeah, but that may take a while with him." Ru-chan laughed. "I still haven't been confessed to yet!"_

"_Puhu, Ru-chan hasn't been confessed to yet~ still simple and vanilla." She understands the onslaught of pinching and pulling on her cheeks she received again. It was always fun to tease Ru-chan like that and have her smile, after all that's what friends do! That's what friends…_

_As she watched Ru-chan walk away, a lone depressing thought went through her head._

'_Ru-chan… will definitely be happy with him… better than with me…that's for the best… for her happiness. After all, I'm just her friend.'_

* * *

"Auruka-chan~ Wake up please, or I'll curse you. I'll curse you, Auruka-chan~._ I'll curse you!_"

Auruka instantly woke up from her nightmare- something about paper charms and cursing statues- and felt a cold sweat enveloping her. The memories from yesterday flooded into her brain and left her in a state of self-hatred: over not realizing that Hanako was troubled, thinking nothing would go wrong, believing in some false hope. Who was she kidding? The minute the elevator came to a stop, she ran as far away as possible from everyone and into her room.

Hanako murdered someone and Auruka sent her to her death because of that. She was just as guilty as any murderer she sent off to prison. It was all her fault. It was all her fault.

Auruka decided that her punishment would be to not have human contact at all. So she willed herself to sleep through the week.

* * *

Diana just kept staring at the eggs, as if they would give her some inspirational message to get everyone out of this funk. Before… _that_, the center would be full of at least a bit of chatter, maybe even some opinion or thoughts on what to do if any of the students ever got a hand on Monokuma or Mononeko. Most of Diana's ideas were asked to have a pin placed on them.

Now, everyone didn't know what to even say; the minute the elevator reached the plaza, Auruka ran off without listening to anyone, Sora had burst into tears, and Keiichi went up and punched the nearest wall, leaving his hand bloody; the Defense Attorney still hasn't come out of her room and you could hear the plates shaking in the Sora's hands as she brought in lunch. Diana has dealt with some messed up stuff before, but this is not in her department. Well, maybe the deaths were a part of it, but the rest of it definitely wasn't.

She couldn't even begin to imagine how others were feeling; out of the…fourteen of them, it's obvious that probably two of them- Diana herself included- dealt firsthand with death.

Thinking about the murder and execution from yesterday would only bring up bad memories and the Street Performer did not want to go back and recall the past. It should just stay in the past like good little memories should. She was then brought out of her inner monologue by the smashing sound of plates, her instincts pushing her out of her seat and looking towards the direction of the crash.

"I-I'm sorry!" Sora immediately got down on her knees and began picking up the shards of plates and unfinished food scraps in a hurried state. It was understandable with how jittery she had been and Diana was one of the first people to come help her, alongside Keiichi and Kanade. She didn't even notice how the Pastry Chef had stopped moving and was clutching unto a shard quite hard, but when Diana tried to pick a piece near her foot did Sora react.

"Don't hurt me…" Diana could only freeze from what Sora whimpered, her eyes widening when she saw the splash of blood beneath Sora's palm as she gripped the plate piece. She probably didn't even realize it as she looked at Diana in fear and began trembling. Fortunately Keiichi caught on and grabbed her wrist, forcing her to drop the blood soaked ceramic piece.

"Soracchi! You shouldn't do that again! Come on and get up!" He pulled her up like a rag doll and began dragging her away. "Maiyuricchi, go to the nurse's room and get some bandages for Soracchi."

Kanade stood there, not yet processing what she just witnessed. "B-but she's… Imayoshi-san is-"

Keiichi snarled. "Are you deaf?! Go get the bandages now!" She let out a squeak of surprise before hastily nodding and following the boy as he dragged Sora towards the girl's gym.

Diana felt a shudder as she recalled how Yoshi's body was gone from the hallway, all evidence of blood scrubbed away from both the floor and the dumbbell; it was like the murder never happened, but she knew. She didn't even want to think where Monokuma and Mononeko had Yoshi's or Hanako's bodies stored.

But with Keiichi's and Sora's attitudes though… Diana could swear that she had this look in her eyes, like she was actually afraid by Diana. A cough came up behind her and she turned to see the rest of the students with verifying expressions; she forgot that there were other people still eating. Diana decided to turn away from them and at least help clean up the mess.

"What was up with Sora-chan?" Kousuke asked. "I mean did you see how freaked out she looked?"

"She's probably traumatized from yesterday. At any case, it seems she retreated even deeper into herself." Mandy poked and prodded at her eggs until the yolk started running. "At best, we should all take caution when approaching her."

"I see what you mean about her condition," Amane was more of a gentleman than the others because she got down on the floor and helped Diana. It was weird actually, but Diana wouldn't say anything about it. "But I don't think it applied to the trial. More so, this is something that you would develop over the years, considering what she said. It's more than that."

Nathaniel looked strangely interested. "What do you mean?"

"Yes, what do you mean? I'm interested in our little meal ticket." Everyone was used to Monokuma and Mononeko's parlor tricks enough to not jump in surprise. "We wouldn't want her to be the next victim so quickly, right sis?"

Mononeko nodded. "Right big bro. Sora-chan is such a wonderful cook that I would simply cry for three days straight! Oh, but wait a second! What if she actually decides to murder someone? Maybe even right now with Keiichi-kun and Kanade-chan! Ooh, how wonderful!"

Diana didn't want to hear any more of this trash coming from that cat's mouth. As if Sora would do anything like murder; if anything, the girl could easily be- no, don't think like that. Diana felt her blood run cold when she recalled seeing Keiichi cradling Sora, fear that she was the first to die.

"Kurosawa, go check up on the three, right now." Amane's commanding voice stopped the Street Performer's train of thought. She looked over at Amane as she was directing Kousuke over to where the three had gone to get bandages. At first Diana believed that she was just worried about them, but she saw the steel look in her eyes; her own eyes widened in realization.

Did…did she actually believe Mononeko?

"Eh? Are you sure?" The Tattoo Artist asked, but he then relented when he she only pointed over to the hallway. He got out of his seat and walked quickly to the girl's gym, leaving the group with feelings of worry.

"D-Do you really think that Sora-chan could murder us?" Isamu whispered, looking slightly pale. "I-I mean, she's a nice girl, so why should she-"

"Hanako was a nice girl. Need I say more?" Mandy pushed away her plate of runny eggs. "All it takes is a little incentive and you have a murderer. That's how it is." No one had anything to say to that, except Monokuma.

"Okie-dokie then! Well thank you Mandy, for such a despair inducing bit of life, but I believe that me and my sister had something important to tell you." The bear cleared his throat. "Ahem, now then I have decided that you little bastards deserve such a wonderful treat for getting through the first Class Trial. That's why we gave you extra days on your watches, for instance- actually, for each death in this field trip you receive four more days."

"And then big bro and I decided that that wasn't enough for you, so we decided to unlock one of the gates!" Everyone was shocked at this revelation. "That's right, Number Plaza isn't the only place you guys can explore- Dos Road is now free to travel to!" Mononeko performed a little twirl around Monokuma. "Please open up your ElectroIDs to check the map function."

Each student took out their ElectroID to display the map and found that what Mononeko said was true: a large exclamation point had appeared directly south of the group. Diana touched the exclamation point and it brought her to a blank map.

…What the hell?

"Hey, aren't you guys excited? Not hearing any joy or laughter or anything that shows that you're excited…" What the hell? "Maybe you're all shocked that my sister and I can prove to be such good people! Upupupu~"

"…What the hell…?"

Monokuma looked over at Diana. "What's that?"

She gritted her teeth. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You think you can try and compensate for to people's deaths when you know it's all your faults?! Like you want us to move on from them?" Diana started to cry and the tears splashed down at the floor and mixing with a speckle of Sora's blood. "Y-Yoshi and Hanako…didn't need to die…so why? Why the fuck are you two even doing this?!" She heaved and began sobbing uncontrollable.

No one said anything for a minute, with a few not knowing what to say or sorrow at the truth of what Diana said. The grim realization of yesterday settled within them: two people were killed, one by being murdered and the other being executed. And now Monokuma congratulated them for it by opening up another part of the city! This is all just a big fucking mess!

Monokuma didn't say anything for a moment, he only gazed at the weeping girl and the other little bastards he was in charge of. "Why…?" he asked, as if the answer was obvious enough.

"Why for the sake of despair of course."

"Despair? What does despair have to with any of this?" Mononeko waved her paw at Akihisa's question, and she then turned to her brother to allow him to continue.

"Despair has to do with everything; it's a way of life, a future we wish for, our entire birth has been nothing but despair." It seemed his toothy grin only grew larger. "Despair is what makes us who we are, and that is why we try to share with the rest of the world- what better way to do that then with this field trip?"

"That's what we're doing for you all. Everyone needs to experience real, true despair before going out into the world." Mononeko walked up to Diana and petted the crown of her head. "Besides Auruka-chan, dear Diana-chan is having such a delicious taste of despair! Tell me Diana-chan, can you taste the despair over seeing two of your friends being dead, knowing that you could be next as either a victim or murderer? Can you just feel it?" She started begging the weeping girl. "Can you? Can you?"

"Is that all you wanted to tell us? Cause if so then leave." Nathaniel looked down- figuratively and literally- at the cat. "Whatever you're trying to do won't work on us, no matter how bad you want despair."

Monokuma giggled before pointing his paw at the bear. "Does little Van not want to feel despair?" The Fencer twitched at the nickname. "Eh whatever then, I'm getting bored of you bastards now. Come on sis, let's bounce!" Mononeko stopped petting Diana and ran over to her brother. "Just a reminder though: you're not the first to think you won't fall to despair. I've already seen it happen before and now. Upupupu~! Gyahahahahahahahaahhaha!"

And just as before, they were gone, leaving seven students in the cafeteria accompanied with Diana's quiet sobs.

* * *

Regarding what Monokuma had said, the group decided not to tell Keiichi and the others, only mentioning the unlocking of the gate to the new area. They had decided to go as a group for safety, but they wouldn't voice it out to each other. Before heading over to the new area, Sora had ran into the kitchen and brought out a plate of food for Auruka which she could only deliver to the door to her room. Seeing as how the Defense Attorney still hadn't left her room, Kanade knocked twice and told her of the news from Monokuma before heading off.

What Monokuma had said was true; the black electric fence that was once in front of what looked to be road was now gone. The students all began walking towards wherever the road was leading.

The road itself was odd from normal roads. A large yellow 2 was painted at the floor where the fence once stood and up ahead there were concrete walls on either side of the road. There was the faint shape of a building from farther up, but the only way they could see is if they walked.

"So what do you think is up ahead?" Kousuke asked after five minutes of walking to the new destination.

"From what I can analyze, it appears to be a building."

"I really don't think that was the answer we were looking for Okazaki-san." Kanade took a moment to check on Sora who was trailing behind her holding Keiichi's hand with her good one. "Imayoshi-san, do you feel alright? Is your hand still in pain?"

The Pastry Chef shook her head. "It only stings a bit…but I'm okay." She looked down in worry. "I'm sorry for making you worry over me."

Kousuke ran up to her. "You really shouldn't say things like that Sora-chan; everyone was really freaked out when you cut your hand, so don't think like that." The Tattoo Artist gave her a smile and a wink and the Pastry Chef only gave a small nod and a weak smile in return.

Diana was watching the exchanges between the three a little behind, almost laughing as Keiichi and Kousuke started to try to make Sora laugh. It was good to see someone like her at least be happy for a moment. Diana paused as she recalled how she acted not long ago, what with her breaking down from that damn bear and cat.

It was really something she definitely had to work on. Have to keep up something that the others could look up to; considering how she acted during the past week, she really needed to get her act together. Damn it, she needed to be more positive about things!

Looking back at the trio, she found Sora the two boys grinning as Sora started giggling at what they did, whatever it was. She still was holding onto Keiichi's hand and he ruffled her hair, leaving Diana a bit confused on those two- did they…have something?

Not that she was jealous or judging, but they always seemed to be closer than the others. Diana may have even seen them talking on the first day they woke up here; after Auruka had gotten shocked, Keiichi and Sora were actually in the kitchen for a short period of time before she woke up.

Whatever the case, it was probably a good thing that she had someone like Keiichi with her.

"Hey guys check this out!" Diana looked up to see Kaishi pointing at where the road had opened up and started running ahead of everyone to get a better look. Diana and a few others began running as well to try to see exactly where the road led.

The concrete walls had ended at the mouth of the road, opening to an open field of bright green grass, brick paths twisting and turning throughout it, but that wasn't what caught their attention.

"…Is that what I think it is?" Akihisa asked. It almost seemed odd enough not to deny the Swordsman, as the others all were confused on whether what they saw was really what they thought it was.

"Well whatever you think it is we'll prove you wrong!" Monokuma had appeared in front of the students, his arms up in exclamation. "While it may look like your average run-of-the-mill mall, it is not!"

"Welcome to the Monokuma Mall, children!" Mononeko exclaimed, throwing a small amount of confetti in the air over her brother.

In front of them was a large white building that stood higher than the community center, a glass ceiling adorning the top and black pillars supporting the foundation. There was a dual door entrance to it the wall around it shaped to look like Monokuma with his mouth being the doors.

"The Monokuma Mall…really?"

Monokuma recoiled from Amane. "Wh-What's with the blank face? Even when we decided to let you have this mall all to yourself with no lines or shoppers. You know, the guys with the too loud music blaring on their headphones, the idiots who can't properly put pants on, or the register lady who doesn't even know the layout of the store even when she has been working there for the past three summers!"

Kousuke let out a nervous laugh. "You're oddly descriptive, aren't you?"

Mononeko only giggled at the students, walking ahead a few steps before twirling. "Whatever the case, it's something new that you can all enjoy, before we give you all presents!" Her exclamation managed to catch their attention.

"…Presents…?" Isamu asked.

Letting out a little 'nyahaha' Mononeko ran up and hugged Monokuma. "Oops, I spoiled the surprise big bro!" The cat started to jump around the group, adding a twirl every so often. "Please forget everything I said with my little dance number! Da-da-da-da La-la-la Danc~ing❤"

No one was amused in the slightest, save for Kanade as she continually stared in the direction of the mall, her hand inching closer to a certain girl's.

Diana broke away from Mononeko's ridiculous dance to look over at the mall, wondering exactly what was in store for them inside. She never really visited many malls in her life, but was only able to view the merchandise when she was rarely given the chance to do so. Or she would be able to get something if she was good, but then again she was taught that stealing was still bad.

Monokuma hopped over to Mononeko and swatted her with his paw, Mononeko now rubbing the swelling pain. "Never mind on what she said; little sisters are such airheads. She always has been and always will be, even since we were born! And I bet you don't want us to bother you with our despair filled childhood, after all you guys have a mall to enjoy, full of wonderful food, clothes, and necessary things that teenagers can't live without!"

Mononeko had recovered and in unison they both exclaimed, "So please enjoy yourselves!" With that, they ran away from the students, Mononeko holding her arms out and twirling and Monokuma pumping his fist repetitively and scooting on his paws.

"Do you ever wonder where they go when they leave…?" Kousuke looked over at the others and only frowned when no one answered.

Mandy sighed. "Honestly, I rather not think about them at all, and whatever they want to do with shouldn't be our main concern; we have a new place to explore and hopefully find a way to escape. We should take caution on-"

"Come on Imayoshi-san, it's a mall! It's a mall!" Kanade then grabbed Sora's good hand and started dragging her to the mall's entrance, almost laughing as the doors opened when they were up front.

While Kanade looked joyous, Sora was still trying to catch up mentally. "Eh? A-Ah, wait a second Kana-chan!" Regardless of how she was, she didn't once pull away from the Pianist as she led away.

"Oy, Maiyuricchi, Soracchi, wait a second!" Keiichi immediately followed the two girls as the doors closed behind them.

Mandy sighted at the idiotic display she witnessed. "Did anyone even listen to me?" She tabbed at her temple. "Ugh, fine then. It seems that this mall isn't dangerous after all." She soon followed inside the mall, leaving the other nine a moment before others started to follow as well.

Diana found herself alone with Isamu and Jude. "Well isn't she peppy?" The Good Luck said jokingly before shutting his mouth at the way the two were staring at him. It wasn't that he wasn't wrong, but it's understandable with Mandy, probably.

She really did seem to be a bit on edge lately, but maybe after calming down…she would be tolerable? No matter, Diana Valentine will be able to fix it, her, them, whatever.

"Hey Diana," She was interrupted by Jude as he started walking towards the mall. "You coming or not?"

She shook her head a bit, and gave a cheeky grin to the Escapist. "Right away McPervington." She laughed when she saw his face fell.

"You're not ever going to let that go aren't you? I said I was sorry."

She wagged her finger at him. "I told you, I won't forgive you until I'm on my deathbed." And she walked inside to the cool burst of cold air.

It was absolutely refreshing considering how the sun was beating down on her from the cloudless sky when walking over to the mall. The mall itself was something of a nice change of view; everything was more modern and looked clean with the sparkling tiled floor and pristine white walls and a second story that a few students were on.

Though the one thing that caught her attention was the hulking mass of statue in front of her- dang was it big! It looked to be made of bronze and stood at about twenty feet or so, the details on every inch of it made it look like there really was a giant standing before Diana.

She walked a bit further to get a better look at the statue, but felt herself questioning what the sculptor was thinking when they crafted this. At first glance, you would think that it was a great warrior, their hair wild and flowing, veins frozen in mid-pulse over their scarred body, with their clenched fist reaching towards the heavens as they stood proud. Then you would notice the school girl's uniform that the warrior was wearing, alongside the bronze flowers scattered around its- her? - feet.

Diana noticed a plaque nearby, alongside a small pocket to the side of it with folded papers stuffed in it- she realized it was a map of the mall and took one.

* * *

_The Great Warrior _(The rest of the line has been scratched out)

_This statue and plaque is in honor and memory of the _(The rest of the line has been scratched out)

_May we continue to honor her sacrifice and live our lives to the fullest, as the beacons of Hope._

_A_(The rest of the line has been scratched out)_na_

* * *

**April Fools!**

…**Oh god I'm soooooo sorry about that! I just wanted to fool you, but my humor is just like a dead fish! Please forgive me for scaring you guys like that; I never would abandon this baby! Or any of you!**

**Speaking of which, our profile has been updated with links to some character art made by us or by the others who submitted OCs. I hope you guys like how we drew Hanako and Auruka (for the April Fools thing on tumbler). Please enjoy them and maybe follow the others, because our tumblr sucks compared to them. We also uploaded the nap of the mall as well on our tumbler: DestinyParadox20.**

**Also: a new poll for free-time events has opened. And the free-time events that we picked that will be used for this story are…Sora Imayoshi + Akihisa Futonomi and Nathaniel Robinson + Diana Valentine. And now let's have a wonderful day in this glorious city.**

**Anyway, enjoy this sad attempt of us running with our tail between our legs for making you guys worry. Ha. Ha. Ha.**


	16. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-2

**Ehehe…you guys aren't really that made over the joke… right?**

**Well, whatever. On with the story, but first you guys know that we have a mall, which means more clothes! You guys can give outfits you want to see your characters in through PM, or we'll just go with what dressing styles that you gave us in your submission. Either choice, but for now, we'll just go on with the Free Time Events that we picked for this chapter. **

**And remember; vote on the Free Time Events. Also, does anyone even like Mandy or Jude? Just wondering, since their number 4 on the poll place; come on, you know you want to. After all, I'm picking only three of the four.**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_As the next head of the clan, he was expected to be the best in preserving his family's way of life. Since he was young, he had been taught traditional aspects of life and understood what it meant to be the next head of the family. He was taught the duties that he would receive and how to handle managing his family, taking care of the prosperity and being an adult._

_Not to say his life was full of misery- quite the opposite- just that his teachings were somewhat strict._

_He had a mixture of both a normal childhood and a traditional lifestyle; that was the life he was used to and would stick with for as long as he lived._

_Sure, some of his friends were more amazed at the house he lived in, the gardens that his mother cared for dearly, or the heirlooms that his father preserved, but why exactly? It was something that he was used to, so that would explain it. This was his common, ordinary life that he would continually live with, but maybe with some more flair when he would grow older. For now, this way of living was just plain…_

_The young boy was most undoubtedly bored with this system of serene peace. _

_The only thing that would actually bring some excitement to him would most definitely be when his training would start up again; his wrist was healing rather well and was itching to take up arms once again._

_His train of thought was broken when he bumped into someone; he looked up to see one of his uncles, on his mother's side._

"_Sorry." He said, before noticing the blank look on his uncle's eyes. "Oji-san?"_

"…" _There was something about how his eyes looked cloudy, but something else felt off. The uncle still said nothing before turning away and walking back where he came, in a slouched, almost robotic way._

* * *

When Kanade ran into the mall, the first thing she did was look for the nearest store with clothes. After wearing the exact same outfit for a week, she definitely wanted a change of pace. "Ah, how about this one Imayoshi-san? Or maybe this one, because I think pink is the one color you can look good in?" Right now, both she and Sora were in a store called Idol Fever, near the dressing rooms and clothes rack.

Everything about the store was bright and cheerful, with cardboard cutouts of popular idols, dress accessories, and various perfumes and makeup. Anything a girl like Sora would maybe love to have, Kanade thought. She actually had no clear idea what she would do when she dragged Sora with her inside, but she immediately darted towards the cutest store and began looking through to see if there were matching that the two could wear.

Not that that was the one thing she had on the brain! That was just crazy… right? Mentally shaking her head, the Pianist brought out a pink blouse and skirt combo for Sora to take a look at and decide if that's what she wanted to wear.

Instead of even taking a glance at the outfit, Sora only had her near tearing eyes on Kanade. "Y-You think I don't look good in other colors Kana-chan? I'm sorry!" Kanade immediately dropped the clothes and tried to play bomb squad.

The thing with being one of Sora's friends, Kanade learned in less than a day, was that conversing with the Pastry Chef was like walking through a minefield…while blind…and wearing heels.

So she had to be careful that Sora didn't misinterpret what she said or what anyone else said for the matter. Every time that happened, she would come to her aid and explain what the others may have meant, or Keiichi would beat her to it. Funny how he would always come to help with Sora.

"No that's not what I meant…I'm just saying that your choice of clothing revolves on more bright and happier colors, so we should probably choose something like that." Kanade bent to pick up the discarded outfit. "Like maybe this one?"

The blonde visibly relaxed for a moment before looking to the side in worry. "…I don't know if it's okay for me to try on clothes before you…"

No matter how cute Sora looked when she was worried, Kanade wouldn't have it. "But Imayoshi-san, this would make me really happy if I could see you dressed up and looking pretty." She pleaded. "So come on, let's get that dress of you right now! I'm sure Yoshikazu-kun would love to see you pretty as well." The mentioned Cheer Captain was currently waiting outside the store after Kanade told him to.

Sora looked to have perked up at the mention of Keiichi. "D-Do you really think Kei-chan would like it?"

Bingo. "I'm sure he would." Kanade began pushing Sora towards the direction of the dressing rooms. "And how about this: We'll both change together! I'll take this room and you'll take the one next to it, but first you have to pick something for me to try one."

When Sora managed to find something that Kanade could wear, both girls pulled the curtains from their room and began trying on the new outfits.

Sora spoke up again when Kanade was in the midst of shedding her dress.

"Kana-chan?"

"Yes, Imayoshi-san?"

There was a moment of silent before the timid voice spoke up again. "Umm… is it alright if I ask a question?

Kanade unconsciously nodded. "Okay. What is it?"

Sora was silent for a moment. "W-Why do you call me that?"

Kanade was confused. "Hmm? Like what?"

"W-Well, it's just that when you talk to me, you call me Imayoshi-san." She muttered, the last part of the sentence sounding like a forced whisper.

"Oh I'm sorry, is that not what you want me to call you? I could call you 'Imayoshi-chan', or would you prefer something like 'Imayoshi-tan'. Ah, or maybe you would be okay if I call you 'Soracchi'?" She giggled.

"P-Please don't steal something from Kei-chan! B-But, what I meant was… why do you refer to me by my last name? I've even said that it's okay to call me by my first name."

Kanade made sure that her locket was still with her. "Well…I guess I feel like I haven't earned it yet. It's okay when you tell someone that you want to be on a first name basis, but I don't want us to be like that." Kanade finished lacing her boots. "I want us to be friends that build up our relationship, and escape this city with everyone else. So that's why I want to first address you as Imayoshi-san, because I respect you."

"…"

"Imayoshi-san?"

"I'm done dressing. So I guess we should go meet Kei-chan then, right?"

"…Alright. I'm coming out."

Kanade pushed the curtain to the side as she stepped out; Sora definitely had a taste for fashion, she thought. She easily enjoyed the swish from her skirt, a white ruffled with light blue trim and a large white bow on her right hip. The dark blue jacket was a bit small over her white blouse-that may have been intentional- and the blue bows around her wrists seemed a tad too much, but she wouldn't judge since it was part of the outfit. Though the purple knee-high laced boots were cute.

Sora stepped out and Kanade could only squeal at how adorable she looked, especially when Sora started blushing. The bow décor seemed to be pretty common in the selection that the girls had picked from, like part of a set: various yellow bows were arranged all over Sora's red bell skirt, and two larger ones were on the sleeves of her pink long-sleeve dress shirt. In place of the crown that she usually wore was a little red bowler hat, and the rest of the outfit was finished with white socks and black ballet flats.

Kanade couldn't hold herself back as she wrapped her arms around Sora, exclaiming how cute she was.

* * *

After trying her hardest with figuring out what the plaque said, Diana decided to forgo and explore the rest of the mall. She learned that the mall had an additional floor that could be reached by either stairs in the front or an elevator at the far end of the mall; there were sixteen stores, four of which were actually part of the food court, while the other twelve were either clothes or other necessities according to the map she had.

She caught a glance of Keiichi hanging around the entrance to Idol Fever and it looked like Amane was going into the store next door- something about diamonds. Now that she thought about it, a lot of the stores had a lot of odd names, but for some reason she felt a pang of remembrance from a few of them.

She stopped for a second, as she recalled the dream she had this morning. It wasn't a dream, but more of a memory- the last thing she recalled before waking up in the elevator.

What she said back then to Auruka and the others wasn't really truthful, but wasn't a lie; she was at an airport, the rest of her family was with her, but the stuff she said about them entertaining her was a lie. None of that happened.

She remembered being at the airport with the rest of the Midnight Maladies, but it was just them, all alone with probably one or two guys in business suits. The weirdest thing about it was that the only thing that she could recall hearing was the sound of choppers, not just one but maybe a couple. Before she even went through the terminal, she woke up in a cold sweat.

The Street Performer scratched at her hair, a small migraine beginning. If she kept trying to remember something like that, then there's no telling how bad she'll feel in the morning; whatever Monokuma and Mononeko did to her head was something that would wanted to make sure she didn't remember anything.

She sighed. Great, now she was all down in the dumps; she really has to keep a positive outlook on things. Looking around, she spotted Nathaniel all by his lonesome with his back turned towards her; for once the Fencer didn't look like he wanted to bite the head off anything with a pulse.

But would it actually be okay to hang with a guy like that, she thought. Eh, she's hung out with worse. "Yo, Robinson! Want to hang out?"

He stiffened, slowly turning his head to look over at her in worry before he realized who it was. "A-Ah. It's you."

"Yeah it's me. Who did you think I was?"

He frowned and crossed his arms. "I just thought that you were that Pastry Chef. She has done nothing for this past week but harass me on her cooking."

It took a second to process what he was saying, since it was basically something that sounded like it came from one of those old Sci-Fi books her brother and sister would read. He knew who Sora was, right?

Diana did nothing to hide her amusement. "We're talking about Sora, right? Little girl, looks like a cupcake, would basically apologize to bugs if she stepped on them?" She quelled the bubble of laughter in her throat. "You're being harassed by her? When does she have the time to do that?"

"Where else do you think she goes whenever she runs off? And it's not funny- at the end of every meal she hunts me down until I give her a response on how the food was! You tell a girl her cooking was sweet one time and she hunts you down at every chance she gets!" The blush on his face made this entire story the more interesting to Diana- it wasn't every day that you would see a guy like Nathaniel act flustered.

She gave a cheeky grin. "Aw, it sounds cute. She probably wants to impress you or something with her cooking."

He looked away from her and scratched his cheek. "Are you saying… that she likes me in that way?"

"Well I would say that there's a shot with you two, but there's you personality, your attitude, the fact you have a rival-"

He interrupted her listing. "Wait, what do you mean my attitude and personality? Is there… is there something wrong with them?

"You're kidding, right?" Did he not see how people were scared of him, how Kousuke kept muttering 'demon' under his breath when he caught sight of Nathaniel, the way his glare scared the pants off anyone besides Amane, Akihisa, and Mandy? "You really don't notice the way people look at you, like when Kousuke shivers when you're nearby?"

"I thought he was just cold." He answered with a straight face; Diana wanted to hold back the feeling of slamming her head on the nearest wall.

Instead she smiled, "Okay then, I think we need to help you understand a few ground rules. First off, you scare people." She ignored the developing scowl. "Second, how you talk to people scares them. And third, well, actually one and two is the basics."

"Exactly how is prodding my own traits supposed to help me?"

"Well, once you understand what your problem is with dealing with people, then you can try to make yourself seem easier to talk to. That way Kousuke won't cry whenever you glare at him." She looked to the side and noticed the store across from where Sora and Kanade ran off to, and had an idea.

"Hey, how about we start right here, right now!"

He gave a blank stare. "What are you implying Diana?"

She waved her finger at him. "Patience dear Nathaniel, you just need to look before you act." She honestly had no idea where she was going with this, but she might as well give everything she had. "As you noticed, most of the people here are a bit more prone to being scared by you, so you need to learn how to be more approachable. That way people will finally see you as… well this."

"What do you mean by 'this'?"

"The way the guy that starts panicking whenever a little girl is near…Why don't we start off with getting you out of those clothes for a second?"

He tried pulling away with no effect. "Are you insane?! We barely even know each other!" He then felt an immense amount of pain in his left leg, made worse by the fact his pant let was rolled up.

"I'm gonna give you a moment to dispose of everything you're thinking of and leave it in the gutter where it belongs. What I meant was getting you something else to wear; everyone else has started to do that and I would very much like to help you make a better image of yourself." She could probably make something out of him; she spent enough time with costumes and making people look good. With that she once again grabbed his hand and began leading Nathaniel to the nearest store- Punk Leon.

* * *

Keiichi couldn't see a better waste of exploring the mall than what Soracchi was doing- looking all over some bookstore for a stupid book so she can read.

"I actually want this book badly, Kei-chan. Can you please bear for it for a moment?" she pleaded, with those eyes that he could never reject.

Ah who was he kidding? If Soracchi wanted something, then she should get it, no matter what everyone though-not that he wasn't against the idea. Everything about the Pastry Chef and her happiness was something that Keiichi would never wish to disappear.

Slapping his cheeks, he started up his search once again for the book that Soracchi wanted; he was almost done with this part of the shelf and from how Kanade looked, she was about done as well with her half. He turned to look at Soracchi and her search for the cook book, but found only shelves.

"Where did Soracchi go?" he asked Kanade. The Pianist turned to look at the last place they saw Sora, and was surprised as well.

"I… don't know." She started looking around, worried over Sora's disappearance. "Imayoshi-san? Imayoshi-san, where are you?" She and Keiichi started looking around the bookstore for the Pastry Chef, which should have been easy considering the attire she was wearing and the fact the store had a drab layout, like a library in a school. Getting on her tip-toes, she tried peeking over a few shelves to try to find Sora.

At first, Kanade started feeling dread at losing sight of her, but was hit with instant relief when she spotted the bright bow a few rows in front of her; she waved at Keiichi to tell him where she was and both were now behind the closest shelves.

The Pastry Chef was in the midst of reaching for the book that she had searched for within the book store, with only one problem in her way of actually reading it- it was beating her by about a few inches. She even resorted to jumping to try to reach, but to no avail; Keiichi snickered, but Kanade shushed him.

She wouldn't allow her friend to suffer the cruel lifestyle of being shorter than others- that was a true nightmare! Before she could go and help Sora with her predicament, a shadow appeared behind the Pastry Chef, reaching for the book she so desperately needed.

Akihisa handed the book to her, saying a short, "Here."

"A-Ah, thank you Futonomi-san." Sora gave a nervous smile. "It was really hard to get this book, so t-thank you very much." He didn't say anything, save for a simple nod, making Sora even more nervous. "Eh…I…I have to go then…A-Again, thank you, Futonomi-kun." Because his back was to the other two, Akihisa didn't realize that Sora noticed Kanade and Keiichi and was about to walk/run over to them. Kanade immediately pulled Keiichi's head down, so that he wouldn't notice.

He grabbed her hand. "U-Um, can you wait? There's actually something I want to talk to you about." Sora looked back at the Swordsman and was surprised to see red blossoming on his cheeks, causing hers to flare up as well.

Kanade couldn't believe it as well- Akihisa liked Sora? She looked over at the curious gaze of Keiichi, wondering how he wasn't all mad or surprised or rushing headfirst to proclaim to the world that Sora was his. Maybe it really was a one-sided deal. Nonetheless, Kanade made sure that she and Keiichi were out of sight, now peering from the side of the shelf instead of the top.

Sora whined mentally when she saw how Kanade and Keiichi weren't coming to her aid. It was obvious what was going on with Akihisa- he was angry at her for something she did and now he was probably going to call her out on it. What did she do wrong, what did she do? Was she not supposed to put clothes on, did she burn the rice, the little bit she said about him being scary, was he going to actually murder her, did he like picking on people smaller than him, did he have a loli complex, was she going to have to eat-

He cleared his throat, interrupting her destructive train of thought. "You see, I was actually wanting to discuss something you said-"

"Please forgive me! I'll let you draw on me!" she blurted before covering her mouth in horror on herself and Akihisa's face. "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry for calling you scary and thinking about your complex- Eeeeiiii! I'm sorry for talking about that, I'll take my clothes off for you! Nononononono! That's not what I said! I just meant I'll-" She was stopped from blurting more embarrassing things when the Swordsman put his hand over her mouth

Sora was frozen for a moment before blinking a few times most likely in confusion. "Now listen to me, please." Akihisa said, "I'm going to take my hand off your mouth and you're going to take a few breaths before you'll allow me to explain myself, okay."

She nodded. "Hmmph!" Akihisa removed his wet hand from her mouth, and politely wiped it on his pant leg.

"The thing I wanted to talk about was just something I noticed about you. Now don't get the wrong idea about me listening to everything you say, but it was just something that I was curious over." He looked to the side. "I noticed how you address the others with those little nicknames."

"D-Do you mean like how I call Kurosawa-sama Ko-kun, or Valentine-sama Dia-chan?" He nodded, his cheeks still red. "U-Um, do you have a problem with me addressing the others? I can address them with –sama or –san if you wish. I do the same with Ikeda-san and Robinson-san."

Kanade didn't even know why Keiichi was face-palming, muttering 'Soracchi…' under his breath. Come on, the guy was obviously hitting on your girl!

"N-No, that's not it. Well, I found that you never really talked to me during our time here. I mean, what I meant was that you talked to everyone here, but you didn't really call me by anything." He muttered, "You only addressed me as Futonomi-san…"

She caught on to what he was implying. "Eh? Uh well, that's um…." She blushed. "I-I didn't think that you would enjoy that. I mean, I don't mean that you would hate it and I d-don't want you to-" She closed her mouth when he raised an eye at her; she took a shuddering breath. "U-Um…I guess I should make you feel better then…"

Looking at Akihisa straight in the eye, Sora bowed in thanks. "Thank you very much for helping me get the book from the shelf…" She looked up at him with a small, but kind smile. "Aki-kun."

The red on his cheeks grew deeper, and he tried covering it with his scarf. "N-No problem. Happy to help." They both were unsure of what to say next and were left in an awkward moment, if not for the crash from one of the bookshelves.

"Gyaah! Maiyuricchi, what are you-Ghk!"

Kanade's head popped up from the top of the shelf. "Ah, Imayoshi-san I need your help here; it seems that a large book fell on Yoshikazu-kun's head. Can you please help me take of him?"

"K-Kei-chan is hurt!?" She exclaimed in fear. "Um, I think there was a medicine store on the map."

"Great! You go over there and get some stuff and Futonomi-san and I will take care of Yoshikazu-kun, right?" One could see the hidden malice from the Pianist's smile, but Akihisa didn't voice his thoughts, especially considering how he could spot the Cheer Captain's unconscious body poking from behind the bookshelf, a swelling bruise on his head.

"Come on Futonomi-san, and help me carry Yoshikazu-kun over to someplace where he can rest." _I won't let you ruin what Imayoshi-san and Yoshikazu-kung have, you alternate route. _She thought.

* * *

_Memory Theater _

"_Ahahaha, look at what a little bitch she is, crying about some stupid haircut!"_

"_Aw, is the little pig shit sad because she cut her finger open on the book? Stupid! There's no way I would be nice to you without a good reason."_

"_Kehehehe~ a little trashy slut like you don't deserve to eat with regular people- here. Why don't you eat on the floor like the dog you are?"_

_She only looked down at her water-soaked shoes, the grimy water camouflaging the tears._

_Today, she was blessed by her classmates._

_They really cared about her if they said that this job was really important, and that she was really needed for it. Who else had enough hair to be a human mop?_

_This was her life. She was just used to it. Why? Because she deserved it. Everything they said had to have been true, so that's why she deserves it. No matter what he said, she deserved to be treated lower than dirt, with no respect, because… if she endured it… then maybe, they'll be nice to her again…_

_She had to be good and do what they say…_

_Because she was just a girl that had to be treated like this…_

_After all, she's just a nobody…_

_So then, she decided to just tell her parents that she slipped into the river by their home, so that they wouldn't worry as much. Her parents really don't need another thing to worry about. Besides, he isn't here either- off with his team- so she doesn't have anything to worry over._

_And so the nobody walked back home, hoping that maybe someday she would be able to be liked again by her friends._

* * *

**Updates may be a bit slower, mostly because of the school year coming to a close, but also because I won't start on the next chapter until I have enough votes on the poll. Only three will be chosen, so hurry up and vote you guys. Love ya'! And remember to review, please.**


	17. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-3

**Welcome back readers to another wonderful chapter in this glorious day in this wonderful city! How wonderful! Ah, but before we start, we should probably start with introducing what these stores provide in fashion, food, surplus, etc. You can also send in outfits or stores the character would visit/wear after this.**

**Anyway, the Monokuma Mall is a large mall that houses fifth- wait sixteen- stores. Sorry, but I recalled that one store had to lose some space for a really popular one. The bottom of the chapter will give a brief description of the stores.**

**So now let's start on our part one of free time events for this chapter before the motive of this chapter will be given. Yay!**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_The incessant ticking would have annoyed her before, back before what happened. She never enjoyed silence, as it meant that there was a chance that someone was hiding in the shadows, their presence undetected from you, allowing that mistake. You would then say goodbye from this cruel world and fail your job as the enemy completed theirs. Funny when you remember that they too have a mission to complete, wondering what you're doing would ruin theirs and allow the people they're protecting to die._

_She shouldn't think like that; she believed in mercy before revenge._

_She was so stupid._

_She never liked silence, and that clock was proof of that. Is it broken, or is it one of those clocks whose second hand only slides across the face?_

_Please let that be it, please. Don't let that clock be working, or else she'll make sure it's broken._

_Why doesn't the room feel smaller then? Is she really having a panic attack now? Or does she hope she have one? Why can't she hear the clock?_

_Can't people just stop pitying her? Leave her alone and let her handle it, said her father. Her loving, loving father._

_He probably blames her for everything, doesn't he?_

_He should, it's all her fault isn't it?_

_Tick. Tick. Tick. How she wants the clock to start up again, because it's obvious that it's broken. It's broken, it's broken, it's broken._

_She doesn't even want to look up at the stupid broken clock, knowing that it won't even tell her the correct time. So if it doesn't tell her, then that means that it never happened?_

_Right?_

_It never happened. It never happened. It never happened._

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

_It's now been one month since today that her mother was killed._

* * *

"Thank you for the food!" they all exclaimed before digging into the most important meal to all high school students- mall food!

After managing to explore most of the layout of the mall, all of the students- save one- met up in the food court to discuss on what they found, pushing two of the tables to each other so that they could all sit with one another. So far, out of everyone in the group, only Sora, Kanade, Diana, and Nathaniel were actually in new outfits, and a few had to relieve the Pastry Chef that what she did wasn't a mistake. The tabletops were covered with various foods from the four restaurants that made up the food court; salads, shakes, various sweets, assorted teas; even donuts had a part in everyone's meal.

It seemed that there were only four restaurants to choose from, with only two you could eat inside of: Mangaka Parlor and Victoria Tea, while Donut Floats and Warrior's Meal were over the counter establishments. They had to prepare some of the food and drinks, but the rest were already freshly made and safe, as evident when a few had found Kousuke had already eaten four of the donuts.

Diana was enjoying a simple salad with a fruit smoothie, strawberry. Eating something like this was definitely a new experience; she just didn't wish to have to be trapped in an abandoned city controlled by two talking stuffed animals who forced her to participate in a killing game. Eh, at least she was given a chance to change out of her clothes into something new.

Punk Leon definitely had an interesting thing going on, with the punk rock look, mixed in with some sport themed wear for some unknown reason. Nevertheless, Diana had managed to find something nice to wear: a low cut white tank top, a small open black and white referee jacket, a short black ruffled skirt, white knee-high socks, white sneakers, and a baseball cap with her ponytail now poking out through the back. She was definitely feeling sporty.

Nathaniel was sitting between Keiichi and Jude, trying his best to ignore the little glances from a certain blonde girl. Huh, guess he was right about Sora; at every chance she had, she would look over at the fencer without anyone even noticing, Diana the only exception after what Nathaniel said. She still couldn't believe that she never found out about that.

Although, she definitely was able to find something good for him to wear in the next store over: an unbuttoned gakuran jacket with a red sash on the right sleeve, a red t-shirt with _Spirit _written in Japanese, black jeans, and white slip-ons; even when he wasn't even trying, he still looked threatening.

She looked over at the others who were close to finishing like Diana, and once it seemed apparent did Amane spoke. "I think now is the time to discuss over what we discovered from out investigation of the mall." She said.

Mandy raised her hand. "Then allow me to begin," the Brainiac cleared her throat. "It's apparent that this mall is just as simple as that, a large collection of stores- sixteen of we're pulling hairs- that house different functions."

"There's also a bunch of maps near that statue that shows their name and where each store is." Kaishi said. "There's two floors- eight stores on the ground floor, and the other eight on the second."

"To get to the second floor, you either take the stairs on either side near the entrance or from an elevator at the end of the mall." Kanade pointed at the sole elevator located in a wall between Donut Floats and Mangaka Parlor.

Keisuke shivered. "Please, no more elevators."

"And a lot of the stores here seem to focus on a certain specific theme or themes. Quite unusual."

Diana looked over at Akihisa. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I actually had a discussion with Sora-chan as I helped tend to Yoshikazu's head injury, with the map I had gotten from the plaque." Diana and a few looked over at the Cheer Captain and the large gauze that wrapped around his head, a few of their questions answered. "She was basically making an observation that seemed to make sense on the mall's layout."

Kanade nodded and smiled. "That's right. Imayoshi-san figured out about the mall and was basically a big help with tending to Yoshikazu-kun as well. She's basically the whole package!" For some reason, she seemed to be directing towards Keiichi, who looked slightly confused.

"Please don't look at me like I'm just a cardboard box!" The Pastry Chef covered her face. "B-But, um… I thought th-that maybe the stores were… special for some reason…"

Jude was a patient man. "Because…?"

Realizing that no one was going to yell at her, she pulled her hands away. "W-Well, I q-questioned it when I was in that store with Kana-chan, but I did start looking at the map A-Aki-kun had." Nathaniel seemed to pick up when he heard the nickname for Akihisa. "And it definitely, isn't a coincidence…I think."

Diana was interested in what Sora had to say. "So what exactly did you find out?"

Akihisa interrupted to make things quicker for the group, considering how long it was taking Sora. "What was discovered was that the mall focused on Hope's Peak, more specifically on Class 78."

There were various levels of shock and surprise; Isamu was the first to speak. "H-Hope's Peak? Exactly what does a mall have to do with anything about Hope's Peak Academy? That doesn't make any sense at all."  
"True, but on the other hand it does seem to fit in with what happened to us; sixteen students who were scheduled to partake in the 80th class for Hope's Peak Academy and a mall that's designed on the 78th class." Mandy looked over at Sora with a curious gaze. "Please tell us how you reached a conclusion then, Sora."

"U-Um…well the stores themselves are p-pretty obvious- not that you guys are oblivious!- and some of the names are even used for it. I was sure that anyone could figure because of the roster…"

"Roster? What roster?" Diana asked.

"Every year, when the new school year starts up, a lot of online forums get together and start discussing on the young students who received a letter to Hope's Peak, alongside a title. They discuss on those who were accepted and try to dig up as much information as they can out of the people." Amane tossed a fry into her mouth. "It sort of became a thing to do every new school year. I can't be the only one who hasn't checked on those forums."

"She's right." Kousuke said, along with most of the group who agreed on some part. "I've actually gone on it a while back to check on Class 79, mostly because I heard some of the kids there were really talented. Oh, but Class 78 seems like a talented group if they have their own mall."

Kanade looked over to her friend. "Imayoshi-san, does that mean to say that you know who each store is supposed to be based off of?" Sora nodded, but then Keiichi spoke up.

"Soracchi would definitely know about Hope's Peak Academy! She always looks up everything about all the classes!"

"That's right." Diana said. "You were really excited when you met a few of us on the first day, and you even knew about some of us."

"I-I wouldn't say that…"

"So you're saying that you don't know who's who in this mall?" asked Nathaniel, while Akihisa reached into his pocket to take out the mall map, laying it on the table so everyone could see.

"W-Well… I would…um…it may take a while…"

"Sora-chan, we definitely have enough time right now if it means listening to you~" Isamu purred.

"Ummm….okay…" Taking a deep breath, Sora began, mentally telling herself not to screw up.

"As you know, every year Hope's Peak Academy takes in sixteen talented students to partake in their school, and two years ago, the 78th class of Hope's Peak were admitted: the stores here are named after them or are based of them. Ummm…let's see."

Idol Fever is based on Maizono Sayaka, the Super High School Level Idol."

I remember her." Isamu looked downcast. "I was really excited when I got into Hope's Peak, knowing that I was going to get a chance to see her."

Kanade glanced over at Isamu. "I know right? Ah, but does that mean that Minobe-kun is a Sayakka? A fan of Maizono-san?" She made a happy-sounding sound when he nodded.

Sora raised her hand to get their attention before quickly putting it down; she continued for everyone else. "A-Also, Punk Leon seems to be based off of Kuwata Leon, Crazy Diamonds is of Oowada Mondo, and the Fukawa Bookstore is based on Fukawa Touko."

"Kuwata Leon…I know that name…"Diana tried to remember where she heard that name before. "Oh wait, isn't he that really famous baseball player?"

"I wouldn't call him famous if I never heard of him." Mandy said.

"W-Well, he's pretty famous from in Japan and around, and I have watched some of his games on TV, in fact most of the people in the Midnight Maladies watched when his team was up against another high school baseball team from France."

Akihisa crossed his arms and looked away. "Oowada Mondo though, I definitely know that guy; the man's the leader of the…Crazy Diamonds…" he realized the connection between the store and the man. "They're one of Japan's largest biker gangs."

Kousuke took a short sip from his smoothie. "And Fukawa Touko is one of the leading young authors in the literature world."

"So then that would mean that this store right here," Amane pointed on the map at one of the stores on the second floor. "Would be for Togami Byakuya, correct?"

"Y-Yeah…he's the Super High School Level Heir. Ah, but also, Kei-chan should also know about one of the restaurants- Donut Floats, right Kei-chan?"

"Ahaha, it took a while before I realized that the shop was based on Asahinacchi, but I did it!" Keiichi rubbed at the bandaged part of his head while giving a small laugh.

"Asahina…do you mean Asahina Aoi?" Mandy asked.

"Her you do know." Jude remarked.

"Shut up. Anyone would know about one of the youngest competitors of the Olympics. Now can we allow Sora to finish with her explanation? I don't know about you, but I'm curious over the rest of Class 78."

Amane scoffed. "Whatever." Mandy looked over at her before taking a sharp bite on her fry.

"Please, continue Imayoshi-san." Kanade said.

"…okay. Um, well the other restaurants are based on Celestia Lundenburg, Super High school Gambler; Yamada Hifumi, Super High School Level Doujin Creator; and Oogami Sakura, Super High School Level Fighter. Ah, and Oogami-sama also is the woman on the pedestal near the entrance!"

Isamu sputtered, spittle flying in various directions. "Wait, are you serious?! That statue over there's a woman?!"

Keiichi pointed an accusing finger at the Good luck. "Hey hey hey, that's rude! You don't insult a woman like that!"

"S-Sorry, but it's just…"

"Not all women have the same looks." Amane gazed over at the lower part of the statue. "Although, I should have realized that it wasn't a man if I inspected it closer- explains the skirt."

"So then that statue over there would be that Oogami Sakura…wonder what that plaque is supposed to say about her." Diana thought about the way the writing was scratched off, as if something- she could thing of two- clawed at it until it was unreadable. Whatever it was supposed to say, Monokuma and Mononeko didn't want them to find out.

"We'll cross that bridge for another day." Mandy pushed up her glasses. "Can you continue?"

Sora nodded. "The second floor… that would be…" She began pointing and explaining each store and who it was based on. "On the left, after Togami-sama would be Hagakure Yasuhiro, Super High School Level Fortune Teller, and on the right from the top would be…Ishimaru Kiyotaka, Super High School Level Public Morals Committee Member, and Kirigiri Kyouko, Super High School Level Detective. Below her would be Fujisaki Chihiro, the Super High School Level Programmer, and the two stores at the bottom are Ikusaba Mukuro, Super High School Level Soldier, and Enoshima Junko, Super High School Level Gyaru." It amazed at least a few on how much she knew about the stores; a few of the mentioned students were pretty well-know, but there was a handful that Diana and the others could barely recall.

When she finished, Sora quickly took her drink and tried sinking into her chair as if to hide herself. "Ah, but Sora-chan, which student would be this one over here? " Isamu pointed over at the little store underneath the remedy store. "The one called 777?"

"Naegi Makoto, Super High School level Good Luck." She said without delay, taking a _long_ sip.

Amane looked a bit amazed at Sora's information. "The Super High School Level Good Luck; there has to be one every year for each new class, correct?"

Finishing her drink in record time, Sora said quickly, "Well it's only for the High School division; the other grades don't have a Good Luck."

That caught Kaishi's attention, once he managed to understand her. "What do you mean other grades?" From what a few of them recalled, they were going to Hope's Peak Academy as a talented High School student.

Amane answered their question. "Hope's Peak Academy doesn't just scout people who are in High School; they also had an Elementary branch and a Junior High School branch, with their own respective titles."

Sora gasped. "Ikeda-sama knows about the other branches?" The Spy glanced over at the Pastry Chef. "Ah, I'm sorry for assuming you didn't!"

Jude waved his hand. "Well, I don't see how that's supposed to be helpful to us right now, no offense." He looked around at the various stores surrounding them. "It's still pretty weird on the fact that a mall was built based on people who are about two years older than us."

He raised a good point; this mall was built based on High School students who were on the edge of graduation. What would be gained from building a place like this, especially considering who the students were? The entire city didn't even make much sense, but here they were in a mall, abandoned like the rest of the city, and the other possible areas that the blocked paths led to.

Thinking about it raised a question in Diana, but she didn't know what to believe regarding it; she decided to try asking.

"Two years older than us… hey, what's the last thing you guys remember- not the event, but the date?" She would probably expect simple things like maybe that at least an estimate on when they were kidnapped- a few months at best.

Kanade looked up, playing with the bow on her wrist. "Eh? What we remember?"

Kousuke smirked. "Well… probably from about as close to…" His smile died down as he thought back, grim realization hitting him. "January of 20…11…what the hell?" Diana eyes widened in surprise and horror.

"2011?!" Kaishi exclaimed. "That can't be right! It should be 2012!" But as he tried to think on the most recent date he could, he could feel his throat constrict and perspiration began to form on his now chilling body. Along with a few others, panic arose.

"Exactly what year is it now?!" Sora pleaded as tears formed in her eyes; Keiichi was doing his best to calm her down as best as he could.

Nathaniel was one of the few trying their best not to join in the distress. "If what Sora's saying is right, then Class 78 should have started at around 2010. Class 79 in 2011, and then we would have begun school in 2012. So it's possible that we're still in the year 2012, just…with maybe a few months missing."

"… I'm afraid he's right." Amane was biting her thumb, apprehension evident in her eyes. "The only thing worse than that is that I can recall to as close as 2010- God, what did Monokuma and Mononeko do to our heads!?"

Mandy was curling and uncurling her fists. "Whatever it was, they managed to erase about two years' worth of memories;" She gritted her teeth. "Depending on whom we ask, it seems some of us can recall to a certain time period. So if we do the math, then that means we can only remember to when Class 78 began for Hope's Peak began, right?" A few nods and came from most, Diana included.

Still, two years' worth of her memories, gone.

Kanade took a few shaky breaths. "I definitely remember getting ready for school, and the year was in 2010, but after that it gets fuzzy."

"Well then I recommend not trying to remember; remembering only leads to headaches after all!" The high pitched voice of Mononeko exclaimed as she appeared from under the table, startling Isamu and Sora.

"We don't want our students to have such terrible migraines when they should be killing!" Monokuma come out from underneath the table as well, making it look like he was coming out from Diana's dress. Her face turned scarlet and she tried to resist the urge to kick the bear in his face.

"You bastards…" she snarled. "What did you do to us?"

The two tilted their heads in question.

"We have absolutely no idea what you're talking about Diana-chan, or maybe we do but are confusing it with another horrible thing we did to you all while you were asleep!" Mononeko let out a little giggle on a few of the students faces of horror.

"Are you admitting you did something else besides erase our memories!?" Isamu ran his hands over his body in frantic motion. "Oh god, are we missing like one of our kidneys or something!?"

"I've yet to sign to sign a waiver to be an organ donor!" Kousuke exclaimed.

Sora whimpered. "P-Please, my organs shouldn't be taken from my body without my written consent!"

Mandy looked over at what she dubbed 'The Empty Trio', rubbing her temples in annoyance. They were basically the three that would always panic whenever those two would make jokes like that. "Are you guys serious…?"

Monokuma however found the whole thing hilarious. "Well then, if none of you want your organs to leave your body, then I suggest that you don't get murdered." His red eye seemed to glow and his sharp tooth grin seemed to grow, a chill going over Diana's spine. "Instead, you can do the murdering on some unsuspecting student! My money's on Kousuke-kun to be killed this time!"

"What…?"

"What are you talking about, bro? Sora's the more obvious victim! It's pretty clear that you can just lead her to the knife's edge if you just ask her to."

Sora only whimpered and tried hiding her face from Mononeko's leer; Keiichi rubbed her back in a calming gesture. "Oy, do you anything better to do than bully Soracchi?" He said in an angry tone.

"Hmmm…nope." They both said in unison. The two then jumped on the table and stared into the eyes of every student. "But we both are hoping for another murder to happen soon. All it requires is another motive and the tick-tock of your little worthless lives." Jumping off, they held each other's paw and giggled.

"I don't see what purpose you have for then if that' all you wish to say, so if you would kindly, leave us to our own devices. All I ask is that you please die quietly- I would rather not hear it." Diana recoiled from the icy tone that Mandy was suing for her empty threat. It was apparent that she was rather, how you say, pissed.

Monokuma got as far as he could from Mandy's harsh glare. "Sheesh, you are made of ice. Aw, I can feel my fur begin to bristle from shivering!" He made a show of rubbing his arms to his body, Mononeko following along and laughing all the way.

"I didn't think robots could get cold." Akihisa muttered.

Mononeko stopped rubbing her body to look at the Swordsman. "Huh? Robots? Big bro, who's a robot here? I see no robots anyway."

Monokuma patted her on the head. "He thinks that we're the robots sis, but that's not true. We're both living breathing bear and cat siblings who are the smartest over everyone else in this stupid city!" Diana was getting a little tired of this now. "Besides, who would ever want to be a robot? They're cold, heartless, and a true abomination to the human race!" He guffawed loudly.

Diana rolled her eyes but caught to the sight of Miki. She was quiet the entire time since this morning and she even forgot the Seamstress was even there. Now it looked like Miki was balling her hands, even managing to bend the plastic fork she was using for her meal. No one else seemed to notice.

"I have no idea why we're talking about them, but I agree!" Mononeko giggled. "Robots are an abomination!"

_Thunk_

The sound of the chair hitting the floor startled everyone, save the siblings, as Miki rose up from her chair, a completely bent spoon falling from her hand.

"Okazaki-chan, are you alright?" Kousuke asked, before noticing her eyes. It was the most emotion that anyone had seen since their arrival, save for when Miki found Yoshi's body. Her scarf was pulled down to reveal her clenched mouth, and her eyes were open and aware, but seemed to hide a silent fury.

"…" She took a look around the remainder students, before looking at her hands. "I am sorry, but I have filled my ana, I mean stomach." She pushed the chair back up and bowed. "Please excuse me; I do not wish to be around those two any longer. Goodbye." She picked up her half-empty tray of food and the bent spoon and discarded it in a nearby trash can. No one could say anything to the retreating girl and watched as she walked up to the elevator, possibly heading to one of the stores on the second floor.

The table was eerily silent after that display that went on, before Kousuke pushed out of his chair. "I'm going after her." He said. "Okazaki-chan, wait up."

As the Tattoo Artist went after her, Monokuma spoke up. "What happened here? Was it something we said? Well, whatever. To be honest, we actually came here for another reason- check this out!" he clapped his paws and then soft music poured into the students ears, most possibly from a P.A. system.

Diana could only slam her head on the table.

* * *

Being on this elevator was awkward as hell, Kousuke thought. He managed to catch up to Miki just as the doors to the small elevator was closing, sacrificing his foot for slight pain as he managed to jam it between the doors. Miki said nothing as he squeezed in the elevator, now realizing how small it was compared from outside.

It was similar to the elevator he had woken up in- alongside Kaishi, Amane, and Sora- except that the walls were white and the floor was a nice red carpet. The silence within it died down when some calming music started to play, as the elevator jerked and started to move. The Seamstress continued to stare blankly at the wall; Kousuke bit his lip and tried to pass the time by cleaning his glasses with his shirt sleeve.

Considering how Miki was a moment ago, now it seemed like the even never happened. Kousuke didn't even know why he followed after her. Maybe he felt he could try to reassure sure on what Monokuma and Mononeko said about robots?

He may be a bit slow on catching up on some things, but it was obvious that what those two said set her off. Maybe he should play it cool and try to move the topic onto the main point? Yeah, that could work.

"Ne, Okazaki-chan, you… feeling alright?" Stupid.

"I am alright. I simply have lost what you would call my _cool_, back there." The silence resumed once again.

"Um… Okay." Why did he do this?! "It's just that… you really seemed a bit…pissed?"

Ding

The elevator doors opened and Miki immediately walked out, Kousuke trailing behind. He peeked over the railings to the ground floor, seeing everyone scattering to different parts of the mall. She headed for the nearest store- Junk-O D-Sign- and went for the first clothes rack on display. She started searching through the modified school uniforms, possibly looking for something for her size. Kousuke remarked mentally on her ability to know what to do as soon as possible.

Looking at her face, he wondered what was going through her head; was she still thinking about Yoshi? He face palmed- Miki looked over at him in confusion- now realizing what the problem was. Of course she wouldn't be over something like the death of her friend, so that's why she's like that. Still doesn't explain her outburst downstairs, but he'll get there. Maybe if he thinks on talking about his past a bit, he can-

"My father met my mother in High School."

Huh? "Huh?"

Miki had stopped shuffling through the uniforms, only staring at the one she was currently holding. "My father is Okazaki Natsuki and my mother is Okazaki Satsuki and I have a younger brother named Okazaki Haruki." She paused. "My father… was a student of Hope's Peak Academy, and he and my mother were in the same class for three years." She placed the outfit back on the rack. "He was given the title Super High School Level Technologist, and my mother was given the title Super High School Level Doctor. To know that…I would join the same school that taught them was something of joy." She blinked. "I am getting off track, forgive me." Kousuke didn't mind.

"For most of my life, I have been surrounded by robots that would aid in both the medical and technological field. My father cared for each of his creations as his child, as did my mother. Even my brother and I would see a new creation, led by data created by my father's programming, as a close one." She brought up her scarf to her face. "So when I heard Monokuma begin to insult something my family loved…"

Kousuke felt like he should something, but the words never came to him, so he only nodded in acknowledgement for her actions.

"I appear to have been lying to you, Kurosawa." She looked down on him with her blank, gray eyes. "That is not the true reason for my exclamation just a few minutes ago. To be exact, my family would cover 47% of the outburst, while the other 53% would be over Yoshi."

"Over…Yoshi?" Kousuke noticed the way she balled her fist with the scarf, a frown and half-closed eyes along with it.

"He helped me to create this scarf. We stitched this together with remains of old stuffed animals I had when we were younger. Back then, Yoshi was able to see, before he fell to illness. I am getting off track once again. What I mean to discuss is the way things were before Yoshi and I were admitted into this game." Miki paused and blinked. She walked out of the store and Kousuke followed her, the two passing an electronics store and going into the store next door.

Kousuke didn't really look around the store and instead focusing on Miki, the odd way her buns seemed to bounce was kinda quirky. "For most of our lives, we were close to one another in any way you could imagine, except in the situation where sasen occurred, as we were not like that."

"Sasen?"

"Forgive me, I meant to say reproduction." Kousuke stopped in his tracks for a second, catching up on what Miki was implying. "Sometimes…I would visit him in the hospital…and bring him books. And he would enjoy the books that…I would bring him."

"You guys sounded real close." Stupid, don't say stuff that obvious!

"Yes. It feels odd not having him here…no that would not be the correct wording, as it implies that I didn't care for him." She blinked. "Tragedy. Would that be a word to describe what I am now experiencing at the time? Would what happened be fulfilling of the word?" She looked at him as if he should answer, and when Kousuke didn't say anything, she continued. "Forgive me. Yoshi would be the one to help me find the proper vocabulary to use in my conversing skills, considering the error with my communication." She must mean the way she mispronounced some of her words. "I realize that I have been talking for long periods of time, please accept my apologies."

Kousuke broke out of his thoughts and shook his head. "No, actually… it was nice to hear a bit about you Okazaki-chan." He rubbed the back of his head and gave a small laugh. "I think it's nice that you care so much about Yoshi and your family. Oh, sorry about the laugh though."

"No it is quite alright. But if I can, I would like to ask a question about you."

"Shoot."

"Is it alright if I accompany you for the rest of our time here?"

Kousuke didn't understand what she meant. "You… what?"

"I wish to stay by your side for as long as we remain in this city. I feel at ease when I am with someone who is smaller than me." Kousuke felt that. "Since you are shorter than me, I would be grateful if I could, unless you are against it." She gave him blank gray eyes that seemed to be holding something back, waiting for the Tattoo Artist's answer to her request. God he was a sucker for puppy eyes; how could he deny such a nice girl?

Smiling, he reached up and patted her head, surprising her. He was actually pretty glad that she bent down, otherwise he would have had to get on his tip-toes. Her hair was pretty soft.

"Don't worry about that Okazaki-chan. I'll be by your side for as long as we're here." He gave her a thumbs up. "You can count on Kurosawa Kousuke on that he won't get killed." Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Miki once again blinked, before a small smile peeked out from her scarf. "Thank you."

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_Do you ever look back on who you used to be? Are you ever afraid that the you back then and the you of today are two separate individuals who now share the same face? If so, then are you afraid of how you have changed, and think on whether it was a good change or a bad one?_

_She doesn't know how to answer such questions as these, mostly because she can barely remember who the girl she was saw life; the young, barely reaching ten, girl is just a figment of her past._

_After all she has gone through, you would at first believe that a life like that wasn't really true; all children dream of the things she had done, but have yet to even consider the consequences._

_That's alright though; they're just children, after all._

_They never imagined that living a life like this raised a higher risk of dying: whether in a jail cell, in some alley because you lost your way in the town you're visiting, or by the hand of people who are sworn to protect the innocent._

_That doesn't mean she hated the life she lived, no rather it's what makes her stronger, strong enough to make it through the current state of the world._

_Killing is now common throughout the country, and she has to be strong if she doesn't want to die here and now._

_She has to make sure that her family is safe from these things that take the form of men and women, wearing the dreaded mask of that insidious bear and spreading their disease to any unlucky soul they come across, to infect them as well and keep the world in this state._

_Without a cure, then you die._

_Without a single thought, you must cut off the infected part before your condition get worse, she knows from experience. After all, she had to witness people she knew or just met fall victim to their despair, unable to shield herself from watching her family mercy-kill them to put them out of their misery._

_They have already had to bury two people, but she wouldn't allow anyone else to fall like they did. No, she would be strong, hold down on her hope, a means to bring ease back to everyone until they reach to their destination, just like the two said._

_She didn't really trust the guy, mostly because of the way he always tried his best to hide within his scarf, whenever he didn't want to talk more about the situation, but it was funny when he did it when the other girl was talking with him. Aw young love was so adorable, if only that girl could catch on to the boy's actions. She was a really sweet girl who always had a way with making sure that everyone was keeping hope alive, but Diana still wanted to feel a little wary with people like that. She's fallen for that act only a few times…_

_Whatever, it would take a while before she could even fully trust the Future Foundation._

* * *

**Monokuma Mall Store Description- Written by yours truly!**

**Idol Fever: The perfect place for any young guy or girl who wants to feel closer to the most popular idols in this time and age. Are you a Sayakaa as well? Because we have outfits that were originally worn by her! Just ignore the blood stains.**

**Punk Leon: Are you a define punk rocker? Or just an avid fan of sports? Well look no further than Punk Leon! Just try not to play with the pitching machine displays, they'll hurt.**

**Crazy Diamonds: Want to look like a tough guy even though you're just a big wuss on the inside? Well come on down and try to fit the image of a delinquent, alongside some animal friendly fashion! Bears and cats are people too!**

**Fukawa Bookstore: Just a bookstore, nothing more, nothing less. Oh I get it, you were expecting something whorish or slutty? Well too bad, you're just going to have to deal with it!**

**Scion Couture: Only the most finest and expensive materials are used for the designer wear clothing in this store. If it wasn't for Monokuma and Mononeko, you would have to pay your entire life-savings just to view a shelf of shirts, you plankton.**

**777: Feeling lucky today? Come on down to the hottest (and only) casino here at the Monokuma Mall! Earn as many MonoCoins as possible and buy something from our roulette machine for your enjoyment. We offer both fun and fine dining for you underage killers! Upupupu~**

**Fog Cutter: A wide array of merchandise and memorabilia that will lead you on the path to be a proper detective. A collection of detective novels and etiquette outfits will allow you to convince others of your intellect. We also offer the latest in fire proof equipment, which is if you hadn't already been burned. **

**Honor and Duty: Even if you're trapped, it doesn't mean you should slack off on your studies! Clean and crisp uniforms, textbooks, and other necessities for a proper school environment! **

**Chi Electronics: A wide array of computers and tech designed to help you learn and discover. We also offer a small variety of video games that anyone can play.**

**Hagakure Herbs and Remedies: Our lovely little store offers a more natural means to relieve anything that ails you. Of course we also carry prescription medication for the killers as well; a better means to poison your friends.**

**Fenrir Warfare: The lamest store in the entire mall, like gag me with a spoon! The only good thing that comes from it is the mass amount of weapons and body armor for any potential killer. Please do not touch Gugnir's Spears, as they are trigger sensitive.**

**Junk-O D-Sign: Be the person you wish you could be, only to realize that you'll always be the loser that you always were. Just a bit more stylish. But still, a total loser compared to me.**

**Warrior's Meal: A true warrior must have a full stomach to burn off in a workout. Our food is healthy and contains an adequate amount of protein. Please come and enjoy our various fruit smoothies.**

**Donut Floats: Donuts are a good snack to enjoy, alongside some… actually it seems that's it. Huh. We also have coffee.**

**Mangaka Parlor: Please come and enjoy prepared foods, as well as wonderful themed deserts in our little parlor. We also offer the chance to read and enjoy Manga and Anime hits that will fill you with desire!**

**Victoria Tea: Only the most sophisticated and elegant can truly understand the beauty of our fine Lolita décor. If you would be so kindly, please do not mistake our Royal Milk Tea for some simple brand, you little bitch!**

**(x)**

**Aaahhh! Done! Man, you guys don't know how much this was! Let me complain a little: I wasn't able to update for April and I was so sad, but now it's May and I did it and I'm hungry and a little tired and…I think that's it.**

**Can't wait to see you guys again, especially since I just hit 60 reviews! Way to go! Please keep doing that everyone and hugs to you all! And if you have any questions or concerns, please don't be afraid. Except if it's for answers on Memory Theaters, because I know that I've just done a whole big WTF on this chapter.**


	18. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-4

**Hoo boy, here we are! Sorry for this **_**massive**_** delay for this chapter, blame obsession. By that I mean that I got my hands on the new Devil survivor 2: Record Breaker! God, I am in love with this game; the only thing that would topple this love would be Fire Emblem: If, but sadly I have to wait until next year to get my hands on it. T-T**

**Anyway, I just hope everyone is happy with the story progress and how the characters are. I haven't been hearing from some of you and I'm getting worried. Well, it's not my business if you don't want it to; you guys have already given me high school students that I'm supposed to make murder each other…ehehe. So then, let's go back and enjoy!**

**Oh, yeah. I kind of updated the character list with small things. I also changed the fact that Maiyuri Kanade has blue eyes, instead of brown, as per the submitter's wishes.**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

Play a song that everyone will enjoy, no matter how tainted their soul is_. No._

Play a wonderful melody so that all will feel at peace._ No._

Come and play the most enchanting melo- _No_

…

Love is like an open door_\- Damn it!_

_She ripped out the page from her notebook, balling it up in a hurry before slamming it into her overflowing trashcan, a few more pieces of scrapped sheets falling out. She could only look back at the nearly empty notebook she started with and grimaced at the number of pages left in it. Seriously, why did this kind of thing have to happen to her? What did she do to deserve this kind of punishment?_

_God, having writers block is the worst thing to happen to her!_

_She rubbed her aching eyes and picked up her pencil once again, telling herself to just finish her mission: writing the lyrics for her newest song._

_Well, actually the lyrics weren't important to her per say, but she just wanted to do it; she composed music with her father, but she wrote lyrics at a later time, mostly because she could. Ah, how long has this been going on now- two hours a day?_

_She sighed, realizing her muse wasn't with her at the moment, just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before…_

_She decided that she had enough and closed her notebook, ignoring the fact she wasted all those puffy stickers for it. Maybe she could go to Ikebukuro and do some shopping. Ah, Yukiko probably would want to go along too._

_She searched for her cellphone briefly before finding it resting on her pillow. She was about to look through her contact list for Yukiko's phone number but stopped when she remembered the argument a week ago. She flipped opened her phone._

_That's right. She still hasn't changed her wallpaper. It was a picture of her and Yukiko, herself holding the phone from up high and taking a picture of the two from Yukiko's performance in the drama club. She was still in the dress that she wore for the play and she was still in her winter uniform._

_The red haired girl who she considered a friend was in mid-laugh, something she missed dearly._

_Their argument was over something stupid, but it was clear that their friendship was over, and right when break just started. She could try to mend it, but for some reason she didn't even try. It's probably too late anyway._

_Looking through her window up at the setting sun over, she wondered. Was it selfish of her to be friends with someone different than Yukiko? Well, it's obvious that they're not friends anymore, so a new friend would be good._

_Maybe when her third year starts at Junior High she could make a new friend._

_One who wouldn't be as pushy as Yukiko, someone who wasn't bossy, or raised their voice as much?_

_Someone who wouldn't try to one-up her, maybe a pushover…_

_Yeah, like that would happen… maybe…_

_For some reason or another, she found herself in bed, dreaming of the weak friend that she would gladly allow hanging around her. It sounded horrible when you thought about it, but she didn't care if her new friend was a weak girl who was a complete mess unless she was with her. It's not like she would be that blessed by the gods._

_As if a girl like that existed in this world…_

* * *

**8 Days Left**

* * *

The door was unnaturally loud when she tried to open it, Auruka thought. She looked around the small opening she made, making sure that no one in their right mind was going to try attempt #7 on 'Let's get Auruka out of her room!'. Since yesterday, the girls have been doing their best to try to get the pink haired girl out of her room, using cheap tactics like Sora's food or coming in through Hanako's room.

Fortunately she managed to evade them and managed to block the door from Hanako's room with her dresser. Pain in the ass that was. Of course, she could feel the pang in her heart when pushing the dresser in front of the door, especially when she woke up today and went to knock on it.

No, she shouldn't think about that! Shaking her head mentally, she took one last look around the hallway, making sure that no one was out. Thinking the coast was clear, she slowly opened the door and squeezed through the small opening.

Alright, now that she was out she could probably run to the kitchen and grab some lunch. They tried the tactic of starving her by giving her a small meal, but that wouldn't stop her getting a sandwich. She was Micho Auruka, the Super High School-

"Hmmph!" The hand over her mouth muffled her outbursts as someone grabbed at her from behind. She tried to crane her neck to see her attacker, but she couldn't with the monster grip they had on her. All she could tell was that the attacker was definitely female, otherwise the things pushing into her head was something Auruka definitely didn't want to know.

"Good job!" someone exclaimed. "Now let's just get her to calm down."

She lost her vision as something fell over her head, the hand leaving her mouth. At least she could still hear.

"Is this most appropriate for Auruka, Kurosawa?"

"Well it worked on animals to calm them down, so it should definitely work on her- Oww!"

She was able to listen in carefully to know where Kousuke was standing and kick him in the shin.

* * *

"Well this is wonderful, isn't it guys? All of us here and eating lunch together!" Diana's smile faltered at the blank stares she received, but she wouldn't let that get to her. "I tell you," she continued. "Eating together only builds our bonds together as we all do our best to find out way out."

"You know you're starting to sound like Monokuma." Jude muttered.

"Well I can stop talking like him, but you can't stop being a pervert." He was about to say something, but probably realized he wouldn't win this fight, so he stayed silent. Meanwhile, Auruka was sitting still, keeping her head down to her plate as she ate.

When she was captured, her 'kidnappers' brought her to the community center to enjoy a proper meal with the rest of the students. Amane had said that they were about to head off to the mall and explore some more when they were done eating, with probably other ulterior motives.

Aw screw it, she also wanted to get out of her same old clothes she's been wearing for the past week. Pausing, she wondered what was really up with her; all day she's been thinking like one of those snarky girls that Auruka would dread seeing. Maybe it was just her hunger.

Taking a glance at the others, it was apparent that they enjoyed the marvels of the mall. Besides Diana, about six more of them were in different outfits. Sora and Kanade were in matching bow outfits that looked like something one of those idol groups would wear, Nathaniel looked like he belonged in a gang, and Diana looked like she just got mobbed by a sports team.

Amane looked well enough: wearing a small black leather jacket over a dark red shirt, black cargo pants, her own combat boots, a studded black belt, and a spiked collar around her neck.

Miki was dressed more casual: a long yellow sundress with a sunflower stitched to the waist side, small white socks and brown sandals, a pink handbag that housed her scarf, and multicolored bracelets on both arms. Her hair buns were made into one braided bun and by her plate was a sunhat with a white ribbon tied around it.

Kousuke was wearing a black dress shirt with the right sleeve gone, black jeans with a red and white design on the legs, combat boots, and a loose white tie around his neck; his glasses were seen poking out his shirt pocket.

They were chatting in lowered voices, not allowing Auruka to hear what they were talking over. They probably didn't want to look at her considering their little kidnapping incident. Everyone was either finishing their plates or talking amongst each other about the mall, a few more excited than others.

When she was finished with her plate, as well as most of the others, Sora picked them up, alongside Keiichi, and took them to the kitchen. Mandy stood up from her seat and glanced over at the Defense Attorney. "Well then, it appears that we're all done and ready? Good."

"Micho-san still isn't mad at us though, right?" Kanade asked.

Auruka let out a dramatic sigh, frowning. "Not really. I know why you wanted me out of me, and frankly, it was starting to get boring in there. Although I was hoping that you guys wouldn't do anything stupid." Kousuke gave a nervous smile, while Miki only tilted her head slightly. She pushed away the negative thoughts to at least reassure everyone she was fine. She'll leave that for another day. "Eh, whatever; to be honest I want to check out this mall that everyone's talking about."

Diana looked over Auruka's neutral expression for longer than the others, before giving a energetic smile. "Alright Auruka, if you're sure. Come on everyone, _let's go_!" The last part she exclaimed in English.

It took a short while for everyone to walk to the mall, but it seemed livelier for some reason, Auruka thought. Everyone was more cheery, and a few were talking in excitement over the clothes they could pick up.

"I'm honestly glad I don't have to wear the same outfit every day," Jude laughed. "It felt just dirty even though I was wearing a spare."

"I actually felt a little like I was in a videogame or something." Isamu said. "You ever noticed how they always wear the same outfit even when weeks pass?"

"I think that's because game developers don't have enough time to make alternate outfits for every character in the game to appear in the overview." Kanade looked up from her conversation with Sora. "Of course, you can customize your own character in some games, or find alternate costumes to allow your party wear, but in most situations, customizing an NPC is not really an important thing to consider."

Keiichi was looking at the Pianist with true adoration. "Uwah, Maiyuricchi knows a lot about video games." She blushed at the compliment.

"Well, I guess I do play a few video games, a few RPGs and some visual novels."

Diana asked. "What are visual novels?"

Kousuke raised his hand like he was in class. "Ooh, ooh, I know! They're basically books you play- an interactive novel that cover a variety of genres."

Diana listened intently. "Really? Huh, I didn't think games went that far."

Auruka decided to join in. "Yeah, they can cover anything you would imagine." She made a sly smile. "Speaking of, wasn't there a visual that was technically a teenage eroge?"

"D-Don't talk about that one!" It seemed Kanade knew what Auruka was implying.

Isamu realized as well. "Did Kanade-chan actually play School Days? My, my~" Her blush got deeper and she turned away from the conversation.

Keiichi spoke up. "I think that there was one that was about a small village or something…"

"I honestly could never understand time travel." Kousuke muttered.

Diana was rubbing her temple. "I am so lost right now." She said, before bursting out laughing with a few others joining in.

Amane didn't look like she enjoyed the short burst of laughter. "Forget it, we're here now." Auruka looked ahead of her to see the mall that everyone had talked about, grimacing slightly at the black fences lurking from behind the mall.

"Wow, you guys weren't kidding about the mall." She looked over and noticed Isamu was holding one of the maps of it and peered over his shoulder. "How many stores are in it again?"

"Sixteen." Amane answered. "Now come on, we're wasting daylight." She started walking towards the now gaping mouth of Monokuma, not at all pleased. "We only have a few more days left before those two try anymore tricks." The doors shut behind her.

Kousuke was making and odd face. "Is it me, or does Ikeda-san seem more…energetic?" Auruka wanted to laugh at the thought. Amane looking happy brought a small giggle.

"No matter who you are, you definitely enjoy new clothes." Diana said similar in a way an ancient priest would recite a proverb.

"Eh? Was that an ancient proverb, Dia-chan?" Sora asked with eagerness in her eyes. Keiichi could only smile and reached for her hand, pulling her slightly. Kanade puffed out her cheeks in slight annoyance before reaching for Sora's other free hand.

"Hey Soracchi, let's help show Michocchi the mall now, okay?" The Cheer Captain looked over at Auruka before reaching for her wrist in an almost tight grip. "Come on Michocchi, let's go, go, go!" Auruka, however, resisted his grip of steel with slight success, before managing to successfully pull away.

"H-hey!" She rubbed her wrist, slightly amazed at how strong Keiichi seemed to be. "Do you have any idea what we're doing then?" She was only met with a confused stare.

It was Diana who spoke up. "Um, Yoshikazu? How about you lend Auruka to us instead?" She pointed to two people who were hovering behind him. "I don't know if you really want to be in such a big group…"

Keiichi turned to look over at the two boys nearby. "Eh? Nathacchi and Futonomicchi want to hang out with us?" Akihisa said nothing, but Nathaniel seemed to try to look anywhere besides at the group looking at him, his face slightly red.

"…If it's a bother, then…" He muttered in defeat. Keiichi looked to be horror-stricken at Nathaniel attitude over whether he was allowed to participate.

"No no no, I was just curious!" Keiichi exclaimed; he shook his head and slapped his cheeks, the sound startling a few. "Alright then, Michocchi will go with Diancchi and I'll be with Soracchi, Maiyuricchi, Nathacchi, and Futonomicchi!" He then took off his duffel bag, unzipped and reached in to pull out a yellow plastic megaphone. Sora seemed to be the only quick-thinking one in the group as she plugged her ears. "See ya'!" He exclaimed through it before marching inside the mall, Sora in tow, followed by Kanade, Nathaniel, and Akihisa. The rest of the group were still trying to reclaim some amount of hearing.

It took Diana a second to pop her ears, before saying, "He's definitely…colorful."

"I wonder…" Jude said, before walking into the mall with Kousuke and Miki.

"Okay, so Auruka," Diana said, "How about we visit the one place I'm sure you'll enjoy. It'll be amazing!" One could see the sparkles in Diana's eyes.

Auruka, slightly deaf, could only sigh. "Well, I guess whatever the mall would have would be fun…"

* * *

"Exactly why would this be fun for high school students?!" Auruka felt like she was sinning against everything she stood for. "Gambling is something I wouldn't agree to!" Lo and behold, it seemed that the female member of a traveling circus had decided that a casino was the first place to go to in the mall for the Super High School Level Defense Attorney.

The casino, called 777, was similar in appearance to most casinos that Auruka had seen in western movies, flashing lights, rows and rows of slot machines, various green felt tables, and oddly enough a large wheel. The wheel was like the spinning ones seen on game shows, divided into twenty slices that alternated between red and green and all with a question mark on each slice. It was on a golden podium with a coin slot on it with a large lever to the side.

"Come on, I thought you would be one of those girls who would enjoy something like this." Diana was strolling through the lines of slot machines, almost dancing on the playing card themed tile floor. "Exactly what's wrong with playing with friends at cards," She gave a cheeky grin. "Alongside some earnings you could make off them?"

"Well I don't know, what about the fact that we're minors?!"

Diana's only response was sticking out her tongue. "Wouldn't peg you as someone who follows the rules…"

"Well you would too if your dad was chief of police!" Auruka noticed the ways Diana's eyes narrowed. "I mean, it wasn't like he was super strict, but he definitely taught us about right and wrong and that included not to illegally gamble!" God, what would her father even say if he saw her in a place like this? Although Auruka can be chill at times, she still followed society's rules and would try to set an example for her little brother (and her big brother sometimes).

A voice from behind startled her. "He mostly discussed the Yakuza with you, didn't he? Did you even play pachinko with others?" Amane was look over at the tables, decks of cards all ready to be dealt for gambling set on them.

Auruka looked to the side, not wishing to meet Maine's eyes. "Well, pachinko is different than here if we're actually getting money from these machines. And look, there's even a card table and slot machines so that definitely means we can't play here!"

"Aw, you're such a killjoy" Diana whined. "… By the way, what's pachinko?"

"Such a total killjoy." The three girls cringes at a certain voice, finding Monokuma along with Mononeko on top of the slot machines. "But you don't have to worry about earning money here, Auruka-chan! We wouldn't even dream of handing out cash to such empty headed children."

The Street Performer looked even more forlorn. "What? Aw, but I was hoping for cash…"

"Why not?" Amane asked. "You're little description said that we'd been given money-"

"You need some glasses, or else you would have seen that we said _MonoCoins _instead of money. Or maybe we should start making MonoMoney…hmmm." Monokuma scratched his chin before snapping his paw and pointing at his sister. "Mononeko, write this down on our to-do list! Now where was I… oh right! MonoCoins are the certified use of currency here at 777, a way to buy the prizes from our Prize Roulette."

"What's the prize roulette?" Auruka asked.

"Prize Roulette! You have to capitalize the beginning letters, geez!" Jumbing off to walk over to the large wheel, Mononeko said, "It's the big machine over here that you use the MonoCoins for: look here," She produced a few of the mentioned MonoCoins and pushed them into the slot, then pulled the lever. "You take some MonoCoins and insert it in here, pull, wait a sec… and bam!" As she was saying the last part, the wheel began spinning for a short moment, before stopping, one slice now over the podium. Then the little area the question mark was on popped open like a door and a little toy monkey popped out.

* * *

**You received the Juggling Monkey!**

* * *

"Uh… what?" "Huh"

"Ohmygod it's so cute!" Both girls looked to the exclamation from the Street Performer who blushed slightly. "Well it is."

Mononeko giggled. "It's that easy- just ten MonoCoins into the machine and you'll get a random prize from the wheel. Of course, from what Diana here has done, you see that certain students will love only certain prizes from the wheel. Maybe because of the past or because they're just being a weirdo."

Monokuma laughed. "Whatever the case, the Prize Roulette offers gifts and toys that everyone here will enjoy, almost as if it has everything you would like. Of course, that may be because you guys are pretty famous and may have stalkers, but whatever." Both turned to walk away, but Monokuma stopped for a moment. "Oh, and one last thing, everyone here is given 100 MonoCoins to start with." From out of nowhere, he brought out three coin purses and threw them to the girls. "Enjoy." The two then skipped away and left the girls alone.

"You guys know what this means, right?" Diana had a completely serious look on her face, all evidence of tomfoolery gone. "A hundred MonoCoins means we can use half for five prizes and then use the other half to win more MonoCoins and then make sure to have enough to get more prizes, and then repeat!" Or maybe not.

Auruka felt all her energy immediately drained. "…Why…?"

"Look, look here! "Next to the wheel was a little board of silhouettes, with the Juggling Monkey the only thing illuminated. "The little monkey seems to be part of a set of five, and if the Prize Roulette is random, then that means I have to keep trying until I get the complete set!" Grabbing the monkey, she cradled it against her chest. "And this will definitely help you out of your non-gambling cell Auruka. Come on, we're winning me the entire circus!" She started pushing Auruka towards the slot machines, clear determination on winning more prizes.

Auruka tried to resist. "Stop, nonono, stop it! I don't want to gamble, I'm a police brat, so stop! You're so weird!"

"Get used to it!" The two left Amana alone to her own thoughts.

"I guess some people just have their own quirks." She said to her herself. "Wonder if there's a place to play blackjack…" She decided to go in the opposite direction of the two and headed toward the tables, finding someone else. Someone she actually wanted to talk to.

"Oh, hello Morita. I see you're also partaking in gambling as well?"

Kaishi scratched his head. "Uh, I guess. I mean I've played cards with the guys on my polo team, but it was just mostly during training camp and with small change. Do you play too?"

"Somewhat. In fact it was my father who taught me."

He gave a short whistle. "Color me surprised."

"Well, it was mostly my own curiosity in the game; the fact that you had to rely on skill and luck was something I could relate to. You can understand, I guess." Amane was starting to regret this; she could handle talking with others, but not with just only one person. Kaishi may have realized this, but spoke nothing of it.

"Kind of… not really." He gave a small smile. "Don't get me wrong or anything, just that I can't really connect with your own experiences."

Amane nodded. "Naturally. Everyone lives a different life, you, me, and everyone else here. We all see the world differently and that affect our actions in life."

This time he smiled for a bit longer. "Getting a bit philosophical on me aren't you, Ikeda-san? Hehe, didn't expect that." He looked to have let his guard down around the Spy.

Okay, it seemed that the ice was somewhat broken so now would be the perfect time to discuss something important. "Speaking of the others, is it alright if I ask you a simple question?" He nodded and Amana took the moment to drop the charade.

"Did you write that note to Amaya that caused her to murder?" She asked.

Kaishi blinked, unsure if he heard her right. "I'm sorry, what?" He looked at her for an explanation and found himself looking at emotionless eyes.

"Did. You. Write that note. To Amaya Hanako. Which made her. Murder?" The pause every few seconds showed how little emotion she used, looking down at the Water Polo Player in a sense.

"Eh? Ikeda-chan, what are you talking about?" He was getting a bit creeped out at the sudden 360 (or 90) that Amana made.

"I'm asking you a simple question. Did you or did you not?" Kaishi looked to the side, probably on an escape route, but Amane managed to push him to the nearest wall, placing her arms on either side of him, trapping him.

Kaishi never felt fear like this before. "D-Do… do you actually think that I would write that note and make-"

"Did you?" She asked once again, almost impatiently.

"H-Hey now," He grunted. "I won't admit to something I d-didn't-"

"Answer the _damn _question." She _growled, _grabbing his cheeks in her hand and forcing him to look at her.

"N-No!" He squeaked. "I didn't write the note to her, I didn't!" Goodbye man points.

"…"

"…" He closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable, his life flashing before his eyes.

"Okay."

Huh? "Huh?"

"Okay. I can tell you're telling the truth." She released her hold on him, moving away from his body. "It's all in the eyes, that's how I'm able to tell you're not lying. Same for Amaya, because I was wondering if she had forged the note instead." She walked a bit away from Kaishi, reaching into her pocket and taking out a sheet of paper and a pencil, scratching away at something. Kaishi could only stare at her until she noticed. "What?"

"What do you mean what?! I honestly was fearful for my own life because of the way you looked at me with those eyes!" He clutched at his chest. "I think I just lost a few years of my life…"

"Still…that just means I would have to ask the other five alone as well…" She completely ignored him! Looking over at the paper, then at Kaishi, Amane answered his question before he asked.

"The other five people that I suspected of writing the note to her that led to Amaya to kill Yomohiro; I looked and analyzed the most suspicious of the sixteen who could have made that note to her."

"Okay that's great, but just one question: Why are you telling me this?" In hindsight, he actually forgot about the note that Hanako had, instead focusing on the fact that a girl like her had murdered. Yeah, it would've been Yoshi either way, but still.

"You seem to be one of the few I can trust at the moment. Everyone else is either too public, too untrustworthy, or too… anyway, I did have suspicion of you, but now that I see you're telling the truth, I can at least trust you." Yay. "Just know that if you do go on blabbing this to anyone else without my approval, I will hunt you down. I won't kill you, but I will at least break a few bones."

He gulped. "Ehehe…I understand. Totally not going to tell anyone at the moment, no sir, uh ma'am." Amane turned away from him to look at her sheet of paper, which probably had his name on it. "So… exactly who is on the suspect list?" He shrunk away from her gaze. "If I'm not prying."

"Hmm… well the only people who I see as suspicious are the Brainiac, the Escapist, the Fencer, the Defense Attorney, and the Pastry Chef."

He tried to remember who had each title, counting off his fingers. "Okay that's Mandy, obviously; Jude, can kind of see that; Nathaniel, no argument there; Micho-chan, uh, I guess; and…Sora-chan? You think she's suspicious?" He was expecting maybe she made a mistake and probably confused her with someone like Miki or Diana.

She only gave a serious, "Yes."

"…Are you going to tell me why you think that?" Because he honest to god would find nothing about the blonde being suspicious.

She only shook her head. "No. I won't say anything, just that I have my suspicions of her." She seemed to be done with the conversation as she started walking over to sit at one of the tables. "Look, I see that I must have done enough for you today so I'll stop talking about this if you'd like."

The Water Polo Player wanted to say something about what the Spy was going to be doing with the other five, especially if she was going to use the same tactic, but decided to drop it. "Well…that would be nice. I really just don't like thinking about the negatives in life; I'm a 'glass is half-full' kind of guy, you know?"

She let out a dry laugh. "I see. Well then, how about I make it up to you by teaching you how to play blackjack?" Taking a hold of the deck on the table, she began dealing. "And then maybe later we could play 21?"

"Sure, but I should probably just kiss my MonoCoins goodbye then and hand them to you right now." Nonetheless, he sat down with her.

"Well, if you have that kind of attitude."

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_Was it his fault that he was so weak? Yes._

_Was it his fault that no one liked him? Yes._

_Was it fault that his father left? Absolutely._

_God, he was pathetic. His mother would agree, he knew she would. At least he was better than his father._

_There was nothing that mattered to him, because he shouldn't be selfish. Not like his father._

_He shouldn't be reminded of that man, the one who was the cause of his mother's unhappiness. He shouldn't remember him, think about him, even look like him!_

_Weren't his parents supposed to love one another as much as the other? Wasn't his father happy with his mother? Or did he only care about the sex? He cringed from that thought. Was that all that his father cared about?_

_He looked at himself, the one who reminded his mother of his father, from his hair color, to his eyes, to even his god damn appearance. Looking at the pathetic self for one last time, he decided that now was the moment that it would all end._

_He reached into the bag from the nearby convenience store, clutching the small box in his hand, his resolve clear._

_From here on out, he was going to die. So let him die._

_It only took half an hour, and when he was able to look in the mirror he realized that what happened had happened. _

_And from that moment, he buried the old image of himself. And in his place was the person he would always wish he could have been._

_Looking in the mirror, he began his lying game. Never would anyone suspect the smile he carries would be a fake._

* * *

**Aw man, I'm so sorry for the delay everyone. But enough about that, what's important is the focus on the fact that everyone is starting to be friendly and happy with each other…probably (lol). Aw well, I may as well put a little description on the prizes that have just been earned today, just for laughs:**

**Juggling Monkey- A part of the toy circus quintet. The monkey has the ability to juggle small objects if placed in his hands. (1)**

**Cymbal Elephant- A part of the toy circus quintet. The elephant will began playing if you twist his tail. (1)**

**Eternal Bath Salts- A small jar of bath salts that will keep its scent no matter how long you keep it open. Comes in vanilla bean scent. (4)**

**The Decoder Ring- An old children's toy that is used to create messages that no one can decipher. (4)**

**Licorice Thread- A spool of thread that is actually made of licorice that can be used to fool your friends. Warning: Keep out of direct sunlight. (3)**

**As you already know, the toy circus quintet will be for Diana, and the other three mentioned will be only given to certain characters, but with two or three liking the same thing for various reasons. I know this sounds stupid, but you guys can have fun with it. Maybe. Oh well, bye-bye! Don't forget to review, please. Please.**


	19. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-5

**So I've obviously am getting too far into this storyline for many reasons. I cannot listen to a song on my playlist without thinking it goes with some of the characters, so call me obsessed. But hey, maybe I can tell you guys what songs I associate the characters with just because I'm bored with many things, especially since this is the chapter where everything stops being so happy and smiles and now becomes increased paranoia! Yay!**

**M'aider Girl- IA, Merry Go Round- Fairy Tail, Donut Hole- GUMI, Drowning in a Wave of Sadness- Kagamine Len, Lost One's Weeping (Dangan Ronpa)- Kagamine Len, Just Be Friends- Megurina Luka, The Straight Faced Science Girl- Kagamine Len and Rin, and Trust Me- Durarara! are just a few. So enjoy them, I guess.**

**I honestly have been talking for way too long, so let's continue the madness!**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

"_Ah, Onee-chan look at that! Uwah! That one's cool too! Wow that one looks really cool too!"_

"_So I take it that you're enjoying the museum then, Ko-kun? Come on, say that you're big sis is the best."_

_The mentioned big sis looked down at the small child gripping her hand, caused by the immense excitement he was feeling. He was only to her waist, but as he kept jumping up and down- in what she hoped wasn't because he had to go to the bathroom- and managed to reach close to her chest._

_Her little brother looked up at her. "Yeah, Onee-chan is the best in the whole world!" His eyes drifted away to something farther away. "Uwah~ Look, look that one is made with a whole bunch of colors! It looks like a rainbow!" He tried to run, but she managed to hold him down, silently reminding him to mind himself._

_Walking over and reading the title of the aforementioned painting that her brother wanted to see, she marveled at the palette. "Wow it really does." Looking next to it, she pointed to a display fir a… unusual statue made of wire and… blocks? "Hey what about this one? It says it was made by a famous artist in America."_

_Her little brother only took one glance before turning away in a pout. "It doesn't really look that cool."_

_She laughed. "Alright then. I guess little Ko-kun is already an art critic then. I wonder what else is there to see, I wonder. Oh look at this one."_

"_What is it Onee-chan?" The piece in question was something he didn't even think of seeing- a portrait of naked men and women! Of course, the questionable areas were concealed, but he didn't seem to care either way. What really caught his eye was what was on the naked people._

"_It says that it's a collage of tattoos on the human body." His sister chuckled. "Wow, didn't think this place would put this on display."_

"_Tattoos? Ah, like Papa has on his arm?"_

"_Yeah. Ko-kun is very smart to know that. The detail on the skin really does bring out the tattoos full potential, and the people's bodies really show its beauty."_

"_Wow~ Onee-chan," He pulled on his sisters sleeves and she turned to see a twinkle in his eyes. "I now know what I'm gonna do with my life."_

"_What?" She asked with clear curiosity._

_Stepping in front of his sister, he pointed directly at the picture exclaiming, "I want to be a tattoo artist when I grow up, and make a whole bunch a beautiful tattoos to put on naked bodies like that guy!"_

_The museum was quiet, especially for a museum, as the spectators all turned to stare at the little boy who exclaimed his dream. The sister felt her whole body flare up, freezing for a moment._

_It was only a second later that she smiled, crouching down to her brother's level and looked him straight in the eye. "Ehehe… Ko-kun…" She then immediately brought down a chop to his stupid head. "Didn't your big sis tell you to think before you talk!?"_

* * *

The Monokuma Mall was bustling with various activities, whether it be the children gambling, trying on new clothes, or enjoying the luxuries of the mall's products or food. One such group was at the edge of one of its stores.

"B-B-But Kana-chan, Kei-chan really needs my help!" Sora was wringing the dress in her hands, wrinkling the fabric, clearly on the verge of crying. "I-I-I don't want t-to make you think that you can't help-"

Kanade's only response was to pat the Pastry Chef's head. "And I'm saying that you don't need to worry about it Imayoshi-san. I'm sure that I know how to dress a guy, leave it to me!" The five of them (Nathaniel, Sora, Akihisa, Keiichi, and Kanade) were trying to find fitting clothes for both the Swordsman and the Cheer Captain, and Kanade had decided to take care of Keiichi, for absolutely no ulterior motive whatsoever. Of course there was the risk of leaving Sora with two guys, one who was definitely trying to get her attention, so she had to make sure to nip that right in the bud.

She also didn't get much of her Free Time Events with Nathaniel, but there was probably no need to worry over that guy- maybe his only possible ranks would be with girls (or guys) of a different caliber; no way a guy like him would go for someone as pathetic as S-

Kanade mentally shook her head, willing such harsh thoughts to leave her head. She looked back to Sora and Keiichi, with the Cheer Captain reassuring her that everything would be fine.

"Soracchi, you don't need to worry about me!" Keiichi patted Sora's shoulder in reassurance, accidentally pushing her forward slightly. "S-sorry!" A small object flew out from the Pastry Chef- the book she had found the other day, landing on the floor with a small THUD. She hastily picked the book up and cradled it in her arms.

"Are you okay, Soracchi?" Keiichi asked with concern on his face.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She took a pause. "I shouldn't have been selfish with you… I'm sorry. I'll… I'll sit with Robinson-san and Aki-kun if you want me to…" She looked down, not willing to meet anyone's eyes. Kanade wished to day something to relieve Sora, but it seemed that someone else beat her to the punch.

"Soracchi! I don't want you to cry over me! I'll let you help me change- I'll even let you watch me try on your choices in front of you!" He was hugging her, pushing the Pastry Chef's face into his chest as he bawled, which anyone would have found funny, if not for the fact that Sora looked to be struggling to breathe in Keiichi's tracksuit.

"Yoshikazu-kun, let go of Imayoshi-san! Can't you see that she can't breathe!?"

"H-Hey, she's struggling, can't you see?!"

"Yoshikazu, release Sora-chan this instant!"

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Soracchi! I'm so sorry!"

"Hmmph! Ghhhmp!"

It took a while to pry Keiichi from Sora, and another few minutes to settle on Sora sitting down with Nathaniel and Akihisa. The two were able to see the three set off towards the food court (Sora continually apologized for her behavior) before Kanade turned to say to Keiichi, "You ready?"

"I guess so… Still feel bad for Soracchi, leaving her alone with Nathacchi and Futonomicchi."

"Why?" she asked innocently, as they walked into Crazy Diamonds.

"Well, Soracchi isn't the most social girl…" He scratched his head in thought. "No that's mean. Ehh… Soracchi is kind of shy with new people and she doesn't really talk that much with people her age. Actually, you're one of the first girls that actually talks to Soracchi regularly."

"Really?" Kanade didn't know why, but she felt touched. Being one of the first girls to connect with Sora so quickly like Keiichi said, it made her feel giddy inside. But wait, why…

"Why does Yoshikazu-kun know that? About Imayoshi-san not talking to many people or that I'm the first girl to spend a lot of time with her?" Keiichi was in mid-froze, holding onto one of the school uniform shirts in his hands. "Ne, is Yoshikazu-kun hiding something from me?"

He shook his head while grinning. "I'm not hiding anything Maiyuricchi, honest!" He diverted his eyes from her. "At least not anything bad…" He muttered under his breath.

"So you do know something! Then tell me, please! Come on, come on, please!" She wasn't one who believed begging to be low. It seemed to work as the Cheer Captain slumped his shoulders.

Looking at her, he gave a weak smile. "Well… it's not that much of a secret to a few people… actually it's not really a secret since Michocchi knows." He was stalling and Kanade tapped her foot to make him move on. "You see, Soracchi and I know each other from before we woke up here, nothing big!"

He turned away and grabbed a pair of clothes, walking to the nearest dressing room and trying to run away. Kanade, snapping out of her stupor, rushed to plant her foot between the closing door.

"How is that not 'nothing big'?!" She exclaimed. "You actually knew Imayoshi-san before we were forced into this murder trap?" While she was angry, the fact that Keiichi actually knew Sora before all of this was something that lifted her spirits.

He sighted. "Uh-huh, you see we met… a few years ago, back in… Ikebukuro." He actually looked like he was thinking what words to say before saying. "Yeah that sounds about right, we met in Ikebukuro!"

"You don't even remember what city you met her in?" she asked in a blank face.

"Well it was a couple years ago, so I wouldn't really remember much, right?" He tried laughing to pass it off. It didn't work.

"That makes no sense in the slightest," She would let it slide fir the moment. "But what bothers me the most is what you just said."

"Huh? H-How so?" Kanade didn't notice, but the Cheer Captain could feel a sweat coming.

The Pianist frowned. "If Imayoshi-san lived in Ikebukuro, then that means I could have met her earlier! I live in the Tokyo Prefecture and I'm literally twenty minutes from Ikebukuro!" She could have found her new friend, possibly years ago! "Just thinking that I could have met Imayoshi-san and Yoshikazu-kun and become a part of your group, sharing crêpes and exchanging phone numbers. Why is my life so unlucky?"

Keiichi relaxed and smiled. "I don't really know Maiyuricchi, but Soracchi and I have been friends for a while," He looked down at the clothes in his hands. "Well I hope we actually are still friends in her eyes."

"Why's that? From what I've actually noticed, you seem to be one of the few people that she doesn't cry over, and you actually can touch her for longer periods of time than me or anyone, especially on her face." She recalled when Sora jumped ten feet when Kanade tried to brush away some crumbs from her face.

"Well, me and Soracchi know each other enough to have contact, but sometime I worry about if I'm too rough with her… I know Soracchi is a strong girl, but she's also fragile, like one of those things that are hard but also soft." He muttered. "I just wonder how she's really feeling."

Kanade tried to give a reassuring pat on the back. "I didn't know that about you Yoshikazu-kun. You're actually like a big brother to her and I think that's sweet." Thinking back, she suddenly remembered her original plan. "Speaking of that, I've been meaning to ask you something about you and Imayoshi-san's relationship."

This was it, the moment she had to make sure would follow according to plan. She would just casually ask and go from there; she already had it all figured out, especially considering what kind of person Keiichi is.

Giving him one of her cute smiles, she asked with pure curiosity. "I was wondering if… maybe you like her?" This was the big moment! From here on, Kanade Maiyuri was starting Operation: Lovebirds, and it would all begin with Super High School Level Cheer Captain Keiichi Yoshikazu's response.

He only looked at her for a moment before grinning, "Of course I like her! I do, I do, I do!"

While Kanade was only expecting a nervous reply, or something along the lines as bashful, the enthusiastic response nearly threw her off. "Really? Well, that put's things a little ahead of schedule, but I'll take it." Mentally shaking her head, she continued. "Well then tell me, when did you realize your feelings for Imayoshi-san? Was it love it at first sight, or did you develop them over time from seeing her? Or maybe it was because she was being hassled by a bunch of bikers and you stepped in and-"

"What are you talking about? I don't like Soracchi like that." You could almost hear the shatter of the innocent hearts that floated above Kanade's head.

Maybe she heard him wrong. "What? Well of course you do, you just said that you like her. 'Of course I like her! I do, I do, I do!'"

He shifted. "Oh." I took another moment for him to catch on what she was saying. "Oh! You meant that I like Soracchi in that way," He shook his head. "No way, un-uh, I don't."

"What do you mean you don't see her that way?" She tried not to raise her voice, especially considering how ridiculous he was being. "Obviously you two are close enough to be in a relationship, I mean it does look like she would definitely need someone like you with her." Sora definitely needed to be with Keiichi and be happy, otherwise she would stay all scared and whiny. Why didn't he understand that?

"What do you mean Maiyuricchi? Why would it really matter just because I knew Soracchi for a few weeks?" The Cheer Captain's tone was devoid of all positivity, sounding a bit aggravated. "That's not the way a relationship should start."

What does he know about how relationships work? "Well it's just that Imayoshi-san needs to be with someone who could obviously, what's the word, support her. I mean, you guys are friends so you're not blind to how she is." She was going to have to spell it out. "She obviously has an inferiority complex and I believe she needs someone to be with who could teach her to stop feeling bad for herself. I don't know what her problem is with people, but I hope that you can at least understand." Kanade was going to be a good friend and help out that path- her friend, and make her better.

Obviously, the Cheer Captain wasn't buying it. "Why do you think having a boyfriend will help?"

She only stood her ground. "Because. I know that when some of my friends were in relationships that I helped them get into, they were happy. That's what I want for Imayoshi-san!"

"So you rather be in control, right?" He _growled_.

"Wha-"

A shrill (and familiar) scream rang through the mall, startling the two and putting a hold to their argument.

"What the…?"

"Soracchi!" Keiichi sprang into action, running out the store (clothes still in hand) and towards the direction the scream came from, Kanade by the tail.

They found Nathaniel and Akihisa over at the food court tables. Oddly, Nathaniel was on the ground hugging his knees with his head between them; Akihisa had his head tilted, looking at one of the tables underside.

"Imayoshi-san! Where are you!?"

"Soracchi!" As Akihisa was the closest, Keiichi ran up to him and grabbed him by the shirt. "Bastard, what did you do to Soracchi?!"

Akihisa merely pointed over at the Fencer. "Ask him."

"What did I do to be cursed like this? Why does God curse me?" Nathaniel continually muttered, almost as if he was possessed. The sight gave the two the creeps.

"I'm sorry for being heartless! I didn't mean anything! I shouldn't have been so demanding! I'll ask someone else to critic me! I'm sorry for everything!" Hearing Sora's shrill cries of apologies, Kanade and Keiichi looked around for her, only noticing that she was shaking underneath the table that the Swordsman was peering at.

Keiichi pushed away Akihisa and ran to the Pastry Chef's aid. Kanade asked, "What just happened?"

Akihisa answered. "Well we were all looking around when I noticed that she was starting to drift away from is. I asked her and she nervously said that she was sorry, and that she didn't mean to." Keiichi was trying his best getting Sora out from under the table. "I figured it was something about us and I asked what would make it better. So after a minute- well about ten- she asked if we could smile."

Kanade looked over the situation and tried to wonder how exactly smiling led to _this_. "She asked you to smile? Then who…. Oh." Realization dawned on her.

"Why does He curse me? Why does He curse me?"

Keiichi seemed to figure it out as well, for he started to laugh. "It's alright Soracchi. Nathacchi didn't mean to scare you when he smiled, so don't-"

"What?! He was smiling for me?!" Getting away from the table, Sora had a horrified look. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I just insulted someone's face and smile and thought they were making a demon face at me and then it turns out that they were actually trying to smile for my sake and I just cried from it!" It amazed both Kanade and Akihisa how little Sora needed to breath.

Keiichi tried to reassure her. "No wait, that's not-" But she didn't listen.

"I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" Without even glancing at Nathaniel, she ran off towards the mall entrance.

"Soracchi, wait!" Keio was in pursuit, before stopping to look back at the others and bowing. "Maiyuricchi, don't worry about my clothes- I have them right here- go find something for Futonomicchi. Soracchi wait a second! You don't have to apologize for the way people look!" And he was gone.

"Wait don't leave with… and he's gone." The Pianist sighed and looked over at the slight mess. Nathaniel had paid no mind to anyone, sulking like a child.

"Those two definitely are… colorful." Akihisa commented.

"No kidding."

"Why does He curse me? Why does He curse me?"

* * *

"Good morning everyone! This is Mononeko wishing you all another glorious day today. It is now Daytime, so the plaza and mall are now fully open to everyone. Please enjoy yourselves in this wonderful city life!"

Auruka got out of bed the second the announcement ended, the betrayal of her body still stung. She already had a damn schedule to follow now and that was not okay considering the state of things. Especially with-

She had to grab her wrist to stop her from making the same mistake she was doing after what happened. She just headed straight for the shower, waking her up and getting ready for another day before making her way to the dresser. The only good thing to come so far would probably be when Diana helped her pick out fresh clothes. Although hearing her complain about shopping in Fog Cutter was tiring.

She chose a simple outfit, just with a touch of flair: a white, short sleeved blouse with a loose red tie, a pair of black shorts and dark blue stockings. She chose to wear simple black boots and had her badge clipped on her left breast. Checking herself one last time she was about to head out, when suddenly the monitor turned on.

Instead of Mononeko, it was Monokuma. "Ahem, this is Monokuma here! All students are to meet up at the plaza stage at this moment. Thank you." It shut off as fast as it turned on, leaving the room silent.

"What exactly do they want now?" She muttered. Opening the door, Auruka was greeted with Diana, midway from knocking on Auruka's face.

"O-Oh! Man Auruka, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"Sorry. Did you come to tell me about Monokuma's announcement?" she asked.

Diana nodded. "Just wanting to check on you to make sure. Honestly, I'm not that excited for whatever those two want to tell us."

"Well, I guess we don't have a choice. Let's go." The two, alongside the other girls headed out, joining the others in reaching the stage.

Monokuma and Mononeko were on the stage, oddly enough, playing patty cake. When they realized they had company did they stop.

"Good morning everyone!" They both exclaimed.

Mandy spoke first. "And what do we owe the pleasure for this?"

Mononeko rubbed her arms and started to shiver. "Brrr! I told you big bro, nothing but ice in her veins!" She wagged her paw at the Brainiac. "Now Miss Dimuc, you simply must not act that way towards your supervisors to this field. But I guess you're all wondering what we called you here for."

Kaishi scoffed. "Not that we want to know, to be honest."

"Yeah! I'm getting tired of hearing you guys and your poor excuse for comedy." Kousuke said.

Monokuma shook his head. "But this isn't comedy in the slightest, no I would rather call it… a motive." At that word did the students freeze, realizing what the bear was saying.

Jude tried not to shake. "A motive? You don't mean-"

Akihisa gritted his teeth. "You sons of bitches, you want one of us to murder someone else?"

"That's right!" Monokuma guffawed. "At first, we were just hoping that one of you would choke under the pressure like last time, but after seeing that you're getting buddy-buddy with each other…"

"More so than others…" Mononeko looked over towards the Pastry Chef, who tilted her head in confusion. Kanade clenched her hands.

"We figured that another motive would spice things up! So all I have to say is, mail call!" With that, Mononeko jumped off the stage, now carrying a handful of small white letters. She walked up to the nearest student and began handing them out to the respective person.

"Her you go, one for you, and one for you, and who could forget you." She handed one each, making sure no one was forgotten and when she walked up to Auruka she did the same, waiting for the Defense Attorney to take it.

Looking over the letter did she feel cold, because written on it was her name.

**Auruka Micho**

When everyone had their letters did Monokuma exclaim, "Open it, open it!" A few opened it without pause, but most (including Auruka) were tentative.

Kousuke took out white, folded sheet of paper and began reading it. "Let's see…" His eyes traveled across the paper before they widened. "Gah! Where did you get this?!"

"The hell…? How did they…?" Mandy looked genuinely shocked, and Auruka felt a struggle in her mind to dare read what the paper said. Her curiosity got the best of her when she looked for the same white paper, noticing a black sheet as well.

She went for the white first and unfolded it, the grim truth looking at her right in the face. "This can't be-"

"That's right! Enclosed in each of your letters is your darkest secret that you tried so hard to bury, but like all seeds, must sprout into a blossom of despair!" Monokuma shook his head. "I kind of lost myself near the end."

No one payed any mind to him, as they were all focused on what was in their hands- something they wouldn't wish anyone to know for fear, hatred, pity, or something else. Auruka couldn't even believe it, how did they manage to find out about this?

"And that's not all. Everyone please take out the black sheet of paper and look at it." Looking at the envelope in her hand, Auruka opened it again and took out the other folded paper in a haste, freezing when she saw what was written in white on top.

**Amane Ikeda**

The two siblings giggled. "When you read that paper, you'll be given the opportunity to pluck your friends secret as well!" Looking up, Auruka was greeted with the two glaring down at the students. "That's the motive for you- the despair of your horrendous secret being in another person's hands!"

"Are you… are you guys serious?" Keiichi was sweating slightly, and the others were all in various states as well.

Mononeko ignored him. "Now here's where you may ask: But wait, how do we know if our friends know our secrets? Please take a look at your watch." Looking down at it, Auruka noticed a red light that blinked next to the counter. "That little glowing red dot means that whoever has your secret hasn't opened it yet, but if they did then the dot will turn green."

Monokuma's smile seemed to grow even more deranged. "Unfortunately, it won't tell you who had your secret, but that won't be important when you guys are murdering someone! Upupupu~"

Mononeko's frozen face laughed at the students. "Puhuhuhu~ I wonder just who will break, knowing that one of you knows the one thing they'll probably take to their grave. It just makes me wish I was a big kid, just like all of you!"

"Psst. Little sis," Monokuma whispered. "Your age is showing."

"What? Where?"

"Never mind. I'll show you during snack time." Monokuma waved before jumping off the stage. "Good bye everybody!" And he was gone.

"Wait big bro, where is my age showing?" Mononeko followed, disappearing as well, leaving the fourteen with their new motive to murder one (or more) of their friends. Auruka looked over at the others, everyone in either shock or fear. Even Miki was worried, at least she looked like she was, considering her forehead was scrunched.

"Do…" All eyes turned towards Kaishi. "Do you think they're serious? About our secrets being with another person?" No one had an answer; none of the black letters had been opened.

Amane cleared her throat, to get their attention. "There's only one way to find out." Holding up her black paper, Auruka felt her blood run cold when she saw her name on the paper. "Sorry about this Micho."

The Spy was just about to open it when Auruka yelled, "Stop!" Everyone looked at her in worry and confusion, Auruka herself surprised at her outburst. "I mean, well I just, I don't…" She could feel her face heating up.

Amane didn't seem bothered. "Don't?"

"Just don't open it, okay?" She held up her paper, showing Amane's name. "Besides, I don't think it seems fair if I don't at least look at yours."

It was a moment before Amane looked away. "I see no argument there. Well then, does anyone at least wish to tell us their secret so we can see if Monokuma and Mononeko were telling the truth?"

No one answered, either too afraid to accept the truth, or perhaps scared others would know their secret.

"Anyone?"

A lone hand timidly rose up.

"Maiyuri?" Everyone looked at the trembling Pianist, her eyes looking down.

"Well, I mean, it's not that bad of a secret. Since no else is gonna do it." She took a breath, steadying her nerves. "Okay, my secret is that… that…" Shutting her eyes, she exclaimed, "IsleepwithadolleverytimeIgotosleep!"

"…What?" Auruka didn't quite catch that.

"I believe she said that she sleeps with a doll every time she goes to sleep." Miki answered. The others glanced back at the red faced girl, a few with blank faces.

Jude was trying his hardest not to snicker. "Seriously? You're not pulling our leg there, are you?"

"That depends." Mandy said. "Who here has Maiyuri's envelope?"

Kousuke raised his hand, letter in hand. "Here." Unfolding it, he began to read it. "Let's see. Yep, she was telling the truth. Says so right here: Baby, baby, Kanade's a little baby- because she sleeps with one every night!"

Kanade ran over to Kousuke. "It does not say that! Oh my God it says that!"

Mandy pushed up her glasses. "Regardless of however it's written, the secret appears to be the truth, which means that we each carry someone else's secret and vice-versa." She scoffed. "Well then, isn't this a fine little thing those two have done?"

Keiichi bit his lip. "So then we really do have one of each other's secret? That's messed up! It is, it is, it is!"

Sora ran over to him. "U-Um, Kei-chan. I-I-I have your secret."

He turned to her, hope sparkling in his eyes. "Really?"

"Uhn."

Mandy growled. "Are you stupid? Now you just made yourself a target."

"Really now Imayoshi-san, you have to think before you say something." Kanda said in a disappointed tone.

The Pastry Chef looked down, clearly hurt. "I'm… I'm sorry…"

Keiichi only pointed at the two girls. "Stop it now, I wouldn't dare hurt Soracchi! That's a promise."

"Okay that's sweet and all, but even I know just how dangerous this whole thing is." Diana looked over at the rest. "Listen, no one else should start blurting out who has whose and just leave it at that. I don't blame you if you get curious, but it would be better if you just keep it to yourself."

Akihisa nodded. "Agreed. There's no reason to start digging through something that was buried in the first place. It's better to just stop where we are. Let's just forgot about it for now." With that he started to walk away, past the stage, and heading straight for the community center; others followed but Auruka still looked down at her paper. Amane took a glance at her before turning away to get breakfast.

Auruka flinched when someone touched her shoulder. "What's wrong Auruka?" Diana asked.

Shaking her head, Auruka tried to pass off a smile. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it." The two were in an awkward silence for a moment, and Auruka could feel Diana inspecting her every being.

Fortunately, Diana only sighted before shaking her head. "You and I both know that's a load of crap; I'm not going to pry because it's your own business." Diana walked ahead. "Just don't do anything you might regret, okay?"

Auruka nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."

"And if helps, whatever you have to hide is probably nothing compared to someone else's secret." Diana gave a wink and a smile skipping off to join the others. It was there that Auruka noticed that Diana had already crumpled her letter, but the black letter was still in her hand.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Auruka whispered, to no one in particular, still holding onto the black letter in her hand.

* * *

In the center, the students had begun breakfast, with Kanade and Keiichi helping Sora with the food. Mostly everyone had already finished their plates, but a few on the other hand…

"Just being able to live in this time is nothing short of a miracle!" Isamu exclaimed. "The beauty before me is something no man can withstand! It just makes a man want to take a little nibble." He winked over at the Pastry Chef, who seemed to be in a battle of running away or screaming, but probably both.

"I don't know if you're talking about Sora-chan or the pudding." Kaishi muttered, spoon in mouth. "Either makes you sound like a pervert." He managed to scoop off a spoonful of Isamu's pudding on his plate, popping it in mouth and ignoring the Good Luck's exclaim.

"Wait, he wasn't talking about the pudding?" Kousuke said.

Miki shook her head. "He was using compliments that would refer to Sora as being like the pudding, Kousuke."

"Oh. I get it, thanks Okazaki-chan."

Kanade stepped between Sora and Isamu. "Imayoshi-san, it was obvious that Minobe-kun was trying to compliment you- even though he was doing it in a creepy way."

"Hey!" Said creep got up from his seat. "I'll have you know that I wasn't trying to be creepy."

"'Trying' being the word." Jude waved his hand over to the Pastry Chef. "Come on out of your shell, Sora. Don't be scurrying off willy-nilly. We're all chaps here, right?"

Noticing the stares from the others, Isamu gulped. "Y-Yeah. I was just messing with you Sora-chan, honest." The stares didn't stop and seemed to intensify. "C-Come on, you know I was just messing around! Why're you all looking at me?"

"Because you're head belongs on the plate." Kousuke said with a mouthful of pudding.

"That's a bit harsh don't you think?!" Isamu exclaimed, his voice raising to a higher pitch.

Nathaniel shook his head. "No. Your head, literally looks like it belongs on the plate; you hair is starting to resemble pudding."

"What?"

Amane pointed at the top of his head. "You're roots. They're showing." It was a bit obvious to tell no that she mentioned it, the roots a darker shade than the blonde hair around it.

Isamu didn't tale the information too lightly. He reached up and grabbed at his hair. "They are?! I mean, what do you mean? I'm obviously a naturally blonde and you're probably just- aw screw it." Taking one of the spoons, he tried to view his reflection. "Are they really starting to show? Aw man, how is this happening?"

"Come on, so you're dye job is showing, that's not a bad thing." Diana twirled a few strands of her hair. "I mean it was kind of obvious from the start."

"It was?!"

"Well it was kind of easy to tell. I mean I should know the difference between dyed hair and the real thing. You didn't really fit the whole blonde look. I mean, you do act like a blonde sometimes, but you-"

"And how exactly should a blonde behave? I'm curious." Diana didn't dare turn around to see what kind of face Amane was making; she could also feel Kaishi and Sora staring at her.

Getting up, she calmly walked over to the exit. "I'm not fit to answer that without my lawyer present." She said before running off. Amane huffed and sat back down, her hand brushing with Auruka's briefly.

"I think I remember seeing some hair dye over in the market, so why don't you check over there Isamu-kun?" Hearing that, he turned to Kousuke as if he was his savior.

"Thanks man." He was about to head out before waving. "See ya guys! And girls, stay beautiful." Kousuke didn't really pay no mind, only satisfied that he had Isamu's pudding.

"Well, I think breakfast has ended once again with… this." Kanade picked up the plates, with Keiichi helping.

"Yes. I believe this has been most enjoyable." Miki stood up and bowed, Kousuke in tow as he tried to finish his remaining pudding. Soon, the others left as well and Auruka waved off the few stragglers, saying she would catch up in a bit.

When she found that everyone had left did she unfurl her hand, revealing a small piece of napkin that Amane had smuggled in. There was only a simple sentence, but Auruka figured what it would say before she finished reading it.

**I would like if you would meet me in my room.**

Sighing, she looked up at the ceiling, as if expecting a sign. "What am I getting myself into?" She then looked down in her lap, unfolding the black paper once more, the blinking green light on watch mocking her.

**Can you hear me now? Can you hear me **_**now**_**? Whoops, forgot for a second that Amane won't. Cause she's deaf!**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_They say that everyone has to grow up at some point. Childhood is just the beginning stage and ends when you become of the world's state._

_They say that when you grow up is when your life becomes something different; there are supposed to be signs that show that you have matured and are ready to enter adulthood and leave behind your childhood._

_A most important event is said to be the turning point for boys- when they finally become men._

_Different cultures and different life styles determine when that happens._

_Whether you reach a certain age, or perform a certain ritual, or when you become the head of the family, in his case._

_But one thing that many of the elder generation consider is something not taken lightly. For who could, when you take a life?_

_Be it animal or man, it's still the same. They say when you snuff out a life is when you kill the child in you, leaving behind a man._

_Of course, he wasn't raised to believe that, he would never wish harm upon another living being. It was by his mother's care and his father's strict rules that he would do his best to not be a cold-blooded killer._

_So then why? Why should he have to do this? Why? What did he do to deserve this..?_

_Looking down on the body, the soulless eyes staring back at him, and the ever growing pool of blood. It soon joined with the rest of them, numerous fallen scattered among what was once a happy home._

_He had no words, his mind empty, his nerves frozen, his hand clenching onto his only possession- the blade dripping with blood of multiple people._

_From here on, sad to say, he was no longer a boy…_

…_He was a man…_

* * *

**God I'm exhausted! I mean, I'm not tired of the story, but I just get writer's block like a slap to the face. Anyway, we now have the motive for the chapter, yay! I decided that the secrets would be the best motive this chapter, especially since you guys know your OCs secrets~ Oh yay, basically everyone's a suspect and potential murderer. Although, we did reveal two of the secrets. That's why I'm pleased to say that what secrets that will be revealed will be up to me! Mwahahahaha! Maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh.**

**So for now, bye-bye! Bye-bye! Oh wait I forgot!**

**(Decoder Ring) given to Amane Ikeda by Diana Valentine.**

"**Oh! I didn't think you would give me something as nice as this. Thank you."**

**(Eternal Bath Salts) given to Sora Imayoshi by Diana Valentine.**

"**A present… for me? No one's… Thank you very much!"**

**(Licorice Thread) given to Kousuke Kurosawa by Auruka Micho.**

"**Hey thanks! Didn't know I was special enough for something like this."**


	20. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-6

**I am a horrible person! You ever say that you should do something, but push it off for probably a hundred years? That's me. But I'm here… and… huh.**

**Alps I found that we're reaching the one year anniversary of City of Despair! A whole year with you guys! And I'm still on Chapter 2…oh. Well. I wonder if I should do something special for the anniversary.**

**I know, I know, everything is starting to make you guys itch for death. Well shame on you! This is supposed to be a field trip for 16 (14) lucky students and I would appreciate if they would just behave. But no, they have to be all scared of blowing up that they have to murder each other.**

**Anyway, let's just move on and hope for the worst. Ah, and another thing- these are the last two memory theaters for this chapter, so everyone should get ready to answer them! I'll even add a hint near the end, because I got a message that actually made me realized something I forgot to tell you. Peace!**

* * *

_Memory Theater_

_When she was born, she was simply a child. When she was born, she was simply a baby who was created from two individuals who wanted to be parents. When she was born, she was entering the world with a timer placed within her. Everyone is, actually._

_For you see, we are all born with a limited amount of time before our heart- our lifeline to the physical world- stops. Some are long and some are short, but many people don't believe in that. No, they believe that they decide when their life ends, as there is no such thing as fate. That's what many believed._

_That's also a concept that is still hard to grasp, as things like fate and destiny were something she truly believed in- she didn't want to be deterred from it. She believed she was born to be the girl she was, with the young boy that she truly loved and cared for. She was…a girl that had a… future…_

_And… she was… that… girl…_

"_You're a monster!" he yelled, "You're not her and you'll never be her!"_

_She was…that girl… right? That is… that is why she was in this world… to be the girl she was…_

…_No that is wrong. Fate is a false concept that does not determine the lifespan of humans. A belief in heaven in hell also defies most logic and clear understanding. Humans are not the pinnacle or center of what is considered a plan of a divine being._

"_I apologize."_

"_You're sorry?! Why would you- see you're nothing like her! Who are you trying to fool, you cretin! Stop pretending and just admit the truth, you'll never be here! You're not the girl… you're not…"_

_She was born into this world, simply because of the wishes of her mother and father. That is her only… role in life…_

"_You're not the girl I fell in love with!"_

* * *

**7 Days Left**

* * *

When she found that no one was around to see her, Auruka hurried back to the brownstone, her hands clammy. Amane Ikeda had asked her to meet her in her room, and she definitely didn't want to keep her waiting. For a fleeting moment, she was worried that something was awaiting her once she entered her from, but recalled Monokuma's rules. Although, she didn't think there was anything specifying that she couldn't be… killed in the rooms.

She entered the girl's dorm and heard no signs that anyone was inside. When she was in front of Amane's door (Room 1, according to the ElectroID) she tried calming herself down, taking deep breaths to control her quickened pulse. Okay, so hopefully this won't be that bad, she thought. Looking at the green light on her watch, the Defense Attorney rested her forehead on the door, pulling it away instantly. Checking to make sure she didn't have whiplash, she willed herself to stop acting so nervous. It was just going to be a simple conversation, end of story. She was going to have to face the music, and maybe, just maybe, Amane would not rat her out.

"Okay," She whispered. "Let's do this." And she knocked on the door.

She waited for Amane to let her in. And waited. She knocked again, thinking maybe she didn't hear her-

Realization of what she was thinking made her lower her curled fist, going to the door knob, feeling that that it wasn't locked. Keeping a straight face, she opened the door, finding Amane in her bed, playing with what looked like a toy ring.

Noticing the Defense Attorney, she placed the ring in her pants pocket and got up from her bed. "Nice of you to drop by, Micho. You kept me waiting." Yep, this was definitely something new for Auruka.

"Yeah…I guess. So, what did you want to talk about?" She really hoped it wasn't what she was expecting.

"I thought it was blatantly obvious. I wished for us to discuss our secrets with one another."

"O-Oh." She tried to smile to give reassurance, but it was hard to. "Yeah that's… actually, no."

"Huh?"

She didn't wish to meet the Spy's eyes. "I really… really don't want to do this. I don't know if I actually want to talk to you about it. Let's just drop it and just move on, okay?"

Amane shook her head. "That's impossible, since you and I both know each other's. I would really like it if we, if we talk over it."

"You wanna talk?" Auruka muttered, ice settling in her stomach. "About our secrets?"

Amane didn't seem to read the atmosphere. "Listen. I'm hoping that you and I both see what this motive is about: suspicion and paranoia." She bunched her hands into fists. "Monokuma and Mononeko want one of us to murder someone because of the fear of someone knowing something we tried to hide. And these," She held up her wrist with the watch and pointed at the flashing seven. "Are another incentive."

"So what's your point? You're just laying out what everyone already knows." Auruka didn't mean to sound as harsh as she did.

"My point is that they want us to believe that we shouldn't trust anyone- that everyone we know is a serpent in disguise. But you and I, we've been giving a chance to go against what those two strive for. All I'm asking is for you to explain yourself, explain your secret and I'll do so as well. That way, we can team up and try to prevent unnecessary death."

Auruka refused to look at Amane in the eye. "You're asking a lot, you know? I see your point, Ikeda-san; if we each explain ourselves, then we don't have to worry about the other. But are you really so sure about if you can trust me?" She scoffed, already knowing the answer. "You already know my secret so I doubt you really do."

"I really don't see what's so bad about yours."

Hearing that, what Amane said, caused her eyes to widen. Auruka bit the inside of her cheek and began tasting blood.

"Are you kidding me!?" She exclaimed "Did you even know what it says? Does 'Miss SHSL Defense Attorney should call herself SHSL Cheater-Cheater Pumpkin-Eater! She forged evidence to send a man to jail!' not sound bad?! Do you even realize what it means I've done in the past?!" She barely realized that she was screaming out her own secret, but didn't even consider it.

The Spy shook her head. "I think you're just looking at this whole thing like how a child does."

"You don't know what this means to me, do you?" She snarled, her stomach now feeling like she was just punched.

Amane only sat down on her bed. "Enlighten me."

Auruka frowned, obviously annoyed at how calm Amane was to this. "I told you my father was the chief of police. _The police! _And I'm a defender for the law." It felt somewhat odd that she was confessing to a spy, and not a judge, but she pushed that thought away. "What I did, what I did is something that is unforgivable! I forged evidence to send a man to jail, and everyone thinks it was because I was a talented attorney. It wasn't, not at all!

"My parents are proud of me, how I try to fight for what's right in the world; my big brother is proud of his little sister and my little brother looks up to me like I'm a superhero, and no one in my family knows about what I did. I can kiss any chance of even attending Hope's Peak Academy goodbye, before any of this shit happened. I'm not worthy of the title that I cheated to get!" She realized that she was crying, hiccupping slightly.

"I was so… so stupid to think I… to think I could have gotten away with it! Stupid, stupid!"

The harsh sound of a single slap silenced Auruka and pain enveloped her left cheek, and the strength was enough to push her down to the floor. She was momentarily stunned, looking up Amane and her outstretched hand.

She cradled her stinging cheek. "W-What the…?"

"Sorry. That was the only thing I could think of doing."

Auruka got to her feet. "Ouch! Could you have done it without that much force?" That really hurt! Amane scooted on her bed, making room for Auruka, who, grumbling slightly, sat down.

"I can understand what you were trying to say." She said. "I want to ask, how old were you when you did this?"

"…I was thirteen." She could still Renner that memory clearly; the document she forged placed in a folder she presented to the judge, who approved and allowed it in court was still fresh in her memory.

"Then I can see why the outburst."

Auruka scoffed. "Yeah right."

"You clearly forget that you aren't the only child prodigy in this city. A lot of us, save maybe a few, have talents that others, older then us, dream of." Amane spoke with an almost empty tone, like she was used to saying that. "Being an attorney at such a young age must have meant that you had to deal with people at least twice you're age."

"Sometimes three times…" She remembered this one guy who was clearly old enough to be her grandfather.

Amane let out a short laugh. "Clearly. Which meant you had to prove your worth. The simplest mistake and they would hang it over your head for the rest of your life, even if it wasn't your fault."

"I feel like you're speaking from experience."

Amane crossed her arms. "Of course, I am in a field that requires no mistakes to be made. You screw up one assignment and people could push you to paperwork and ridicule. My point is, it's not your fault for doing something like this. Many others do it as well, and from what I guess, this is your first time." Auruka was about to disagree on her part, but that last sentence caught her attention.

"Huh? Other people have done it?" Amane stared at her like she just grew a head.

"…You're not serious are you? A lot of lawyers do this to have a better success record or to make themselves more likely to get hired."

"People actually… do that." She got off the bed, clearly troubled. "That's not justice at all! How can people think of doing that, don't they realize how low that is." Noticing the Spy's raised eyebrow, she quickly added "Don't look at me like that, I had my reasons."

"Nice to see you defending yourself."

"Shut up. I felt like if I didn't, then my client would go to jail. The other guy was totally the bad guy."

"So then, what you did put the true culprit in jail? I'm confused, how is what you did a bad thing, if it meant the right person got punished?"

Auruka sighed. "Well, my family follows a code: A Hero must fight for what's right, A Hero must do the right thing, A Hero must stand strong, and A Hero never gives up." Ever since she was little, she heard that slogan every day. "My dad taught us this. I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I just didn't want the guy to get off scot-free."

She expected Amane to agree or disagree with her actions now, except that wasn't what she did.

"Pfft!" The usually stoic and calm Amane began to laugh, uncontrollably.

"D-Don't laugh!" She pleaded. "It may sound silly, but my dad wanted us to know how to be good people! There's nothing wrong with that." That didn't seem to help the case, especially when Amane grabbed at her stomach in the laughing fit.

"It's not… oh God." She said between laughter. "It's just… you dad, just, just…that's from an old anime!" She guffawed. "Ahahaha!"

Auruka could feel herself deflate. "What."

Amane seemed to get over her laughing fit, taking a few deep breaths. "You ever heard of 'The Justice Cabal'? Four righteous heroes who fight against evil and have a code of heroism." Auruka could feel her cheeks redden, now realizing that most of the people here were her age.

"O-Oh right. I forgot that people my age might know about that. Yeah, actually I do know about that." She rubbed her arm. "It was my favorite thing to watch as kids with my brothers. Dad kind of had an obsession with it." Her mom was on the same level as well. "But it really spoke levels for me, and with what I hoped to do for the world. I guess being an attorney was the next best thing to being a hero. I would defend the people who I knew were innocent and make sure that the right people were dealt with."

"Like the man you forged evidence against?"

Auruka nodded. "…Yeah. Just like that. Wow. Now that I had to chance to actually talk about it… Wipe that smirk off your face." She grimaced.

"I'm not smirking."

"Right." Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, Auruka smiled at Amane. "Thanks though. I really needed that."

"My pleasure. Always ready to help a fellow comrade. That aside, I'm glad to see that you're feeling better on your secret being exposed. So go ahead." Auruka stared at her in puzzlement.

"You can ask me anything you want about my secret. Be prepared that I won't make an episode about it." With how calm she was over it, Auruka giggled slightly.

"Ha ha." She scratched head, trying to think of something appropriate to ask. "Alright then, where do I- Oh, I got it! Was it something that you were born with? Or was it an accident?" She almost patted herself on the back with how proper it was.

Amane replied almost quickly enough. "An accident, so to speak. During a mission that went wrong, I was caught in a horrible accident and because of that I was struck with my eardrums being severely damaged. As a result I can barely hear anything, except for maybe the occasional vibration."

"So you really can't hear anything I'm saying." Auruka pointed at her mouth. "Can you read my lips?"

"That's right. Although, my father helped me deal with situations where I would be with more than one person. See this?" She held out her wrist opposite of the one with the timer, to show a different watch on it. "This watch allows me to know what other people are talking about in the same room. It picks up their vocal patterns and relays them in a font format, allowing me to know what everyone is talking about in case I missed out on something." That explained why she didn't look at others much when they were talking with each other, Auruka thought.

"Whoa. That' actually pretty amazing. Wished I had something like that."

"Well, it gets difficult to know what everyone's talking about when they all have conversations. Sometimes I have to pretend to ignore them just to get a chance to read what they just said."

"I'm actually pretty glad you're telling me this." Auruka muttered, noticing that Amane was looking directly at her watch screen.

"Why?"

She was a bit stunned, but replied. "Because it makes me see you more of a person, Ikeda-san. I mean, I'm a bit intimidated of you, so I was really scared when you asked me to meet you." She gave her a smile. "But now I see that you're just someone I can trust."

"Well we did just stare our secrets with one another. I know how much of a touchy subject that can be." Both girls let out a laugh over that. "Speaking of touchy subjects, is it alright if I delve into one?"

"Oh… sure, I guess." She saw no reason to object, what with everything already on the table.

"I know you don't want to talk much about Amaya, but this is something that's been bothering me for the past few days, but I really need a second opinion."

Auruka didn't even need to think about what she was referring to. "…This is about the message that she was given, isn't it?"

Amane seemed genuinely surprised. "How did you...?"

"I'm not an idiot, it's the only thing that made Hanako-chan murder Yomohiro-kun." That was the definite truth. It was because of that stupid note that Hanako had decided to kill Yoshio, making her fear possibly anyone of being the sender. Auruka included. "Let me guess, you want to know who wrote that threat that scared her?"

Amane nodded. "From my Intel, I have gathered a list of suspects that are deemed suitable to have written the note to her. Right now, I have noticed a clear detail that may be the key to solving who wrote it. Are you prepared?"

"You bet I am. It wasn't her fault that she murdered anyone, and I'll prove it. Hanako-chan was my friend and I want to avenge her!" She didn't want anyone else to fall under anyone's plan to murder and Auruka was ready.

"Then listen well."

* * *

Sora had found herself in the Hagakure Herbs and Remedies, looking over at the various glass jars full of various smells and spices. She opened one and sniffed it, finding a smoked smell that she greatly enjoyed. She reached for another, but then a voice rang, "Good evening Sora! How you doing?" startling her and causing her to drop the jar. Diana managed to catch it in time before it shattered.

The Pastry Chef looked over her shoulder apprehensively. "O-Oh, it's you Dia-chan. Um, it's nice to meet you." She tried to give a small smile.

Diana gave one back and handed the jar back. "Didn't think I would see you over here. How's that bath salt I gave you doing?"

Sora's face was aflame. "I… really enjoy it. Thank you." Diana could only cringe mentally, but pushed that aside to ask her something.

"What are you doing over here at this store? I didn't think a place full of herbs and stuff would be a place you would be in…"

"Well, I actually enjoy the… smell of it. It has a natural, herbal kind of smell…"

Diana took a big whiff. "Oh yeah, I smell that too." Looking around, she noticed the absence of certain people. "By the by, where are Maiyuri and Yoshikazu? I usually see the two with you by the hip, so it seems a bit weird without those two."

The blonde looked down, almost ashamed. "Well… it's just that I want to find something, and I don't want to bother them with my requests… I'm just looking for a few herbs and spices and some pain meds."

"They actually sell that here?" Diana asked. "I thought this place was the whole traditional gunk and that stuff."

"They do offer alternative, traditional medicine, but they also offer modern medicine. Kei-chan doesn't really like the traditional kind, so I'm trying to find pills that'll alleviate his migraine." She pointed at her forehead. "He's suffering from slight pain from the bump he got when a pile of books fell on his head."

"So that's what that was." Diana was amazed at the care and consideration Sora had for Keiichi. "I didn't know you would know that kind of stuff, with being a chef and all."

She looked apprehensive as she let out a small, nervous laugh. "The kitchen can be a dangerous place if you don't be careful; you can accidentally cut yourself, receive burns, or ingest something that doesn't sit well with you." Diana noticed how Sora gripped her tight arm with her other. "A true chef must know the dangers and be prepared." Noticing the way Diana was gazing at her, she mistook it for boredom. "Oh, I'm sorry for boring you with my rambling…"

Diana shook her head and gave the Pastry Chef back the container. "Don't be. I don't really see you this energetic, except for in the kitchen." She shrugged her shoulders and twisted her head to the end of the aisle, knowing for a while that someone else was listening in. "Isn't that right, Nathaniel? Don't you think Sora knows her way with cooking?"

The Fencer himself jumped slightly, causing a few packets and containers to fall off the shelves.

Sora jumped as well, her hands fumbling with the jar before getting a grip on it. "Hiiee! Were you there the entire time?!"

Nathaniel tried to not look at Sora's direction. "Y-Yeah. Sorry." He truly looked ashamed from hiding from Sora, and she herself was fidgeting.

Diana tried to shrug it off. "Come on Sora, there's nothing to be afraid of, right?" She took the timid nod as agreement. Noticing that Nathaniel was holding a box, she asked, "Hey, what's that you're holding, a box?" It was a small pink box with a cartoon drawing of a sleepy moon.

Soar, surprisingly, answered. "Oh! T-That's Mr. Sleepy Time. It's a really popular brand of sleeping pills that's used to make sure you have a good night's sleep." Shrinking back from the stares, she muttered, "You have to take three to get sleepy."

"That's pretty interesting." Diana said. "Are you familiar with it?"

Sora gave a weak smile. "Ye-Yeah. If my insomnia g-gets the best of me, I just take one to go to sleep- you just take them with a glass of water or any kind of drink. They're tasteless and I like that they're bright orange."

Diana turned to Nathaniel. "Why do you have that then? Having trouble sleeping?" He shook his head.

"No…they just remind me of my mother. She worked the night shift and would always have trouble falling asleep. I would ask she take some so she could get some sleep. And sometimes, when things were rough, I would sneak it in her food." He stuttered at the intense stare Diana was giving. "I'd get scolded later, but she would forgive me since I did all the housework while she was asleep." He then noticed how Diana hung her head almost instantly. "What?"

Both he and Sora were surprised to see tears coming from Diana. "It's just…I never thought I would see how charming Nathaniel could actually be!" She sobbed. "I'm so proud of you, my son."

He narrowed his eyes. "Who said I was your son…?"

"It… It is nice what you do… for your mother." Pausing for a moment, Sora's face was red as she said, "N-Na-kun is a kind… a kind person." She focused her eyes on anywhere besides the now blossoming face of Nathaniel.

"R-Right. Well… well that's how a child should be towards their parent. You have to make sure that they're taking care of themselves, just as much as they're taking care of you." Turning away from the two, he said, "I'm just going to check on the others and see if Maiyuri and Yoshikazu haven't ripped each other's heads off."

Tugging gently on Diana's sleeve, Sora asked, "W-why would Kana-chan and Kei-chan wish to do that?"

Diana tried to reassure her. "I'm sure it's just an expression, like a cat's cradle. Imagine, an actually cradle for a cat! Ha!"

"Do they actually make cradles for cats?" She asked with pure curiosity, not understanding the joke.

Diana let out a weak laugh. "Don't know, but that does sound cute."

"Hey, I forgot to tell you something. You." Nathaniel looked directly at the Pastry Chef.

"W-What?"

He closed his mouth, opened it again, then said "I…I like spicy things. Always have ever since I was little. So…" He walked away, not finishing his sentence, leaving the two girls alone.

"Weird. What was that about Sora?" Diana noticed that she was frozen. "Sora?"

"I have to… go find some spicy foods now! Maybe curry would be a good choice for lunch, or probably mapo tofu? I need peppers and spice!" She spoke fast and counting off various foods with her foods. Her pink eyes were sparkling and she seemed to be filled with endless energy. She then bowed to Diana. "Please pardon me Dia-chan, I have to get some preparations for lunch, or dinner if some of the others eat here." Fast-walking out the store, Diana could still hear her mutterings. "Do we have seafood? Is anyone allergic to shellfish? I need to start seasoning!"

"Huh. That was… huh." Diana didn't really get what just happened, but decided to let it side. Besides, she had more important matters; those toys weren't gonna win themselves!

* * *

Mandy had found herself in the electronics departments, named after the acclaimed teenage programmer. The one thing that resonated with her was the gender of said programmer; high time girls showed skills. Noticing she wasn't alone, she looked up from the laptop she was fiddling with. "Oh, it's you two."

"Yes it is the two of us, both Kurosawa and I. Is there an issue to the observation, Miss Dimuc?" Miki Okazaki was definitely another person Mandy had to watch out for.

"Nothing at the moment. I'm just curious as to why you two are here. I would expect that you two would make way for the stores that handle in fashion."

Kousuke smiled in the way idiots would. "Well actually, Okazaki-chan wanted to check out the computers. Craziest thing you would expect a seamstress to want to see, right?"

Miki shook her head. "I see no reason for it being weird. I felt curious about the computers and wished to see them."

It seemed these two had no ill intentions towards Mandy. "Well good luck; I've been in here for a while and so far, none of them seem to work properly." She rotated the laptop to face them and pushed the power button. "Take a look. See, the laptop turns on, but there's no internet service and the desktop has been wiped clean. And without the proper programs and equipment, I can't do anything to see if I can hack into it." It seemed that whoever Monokuma and Mononeko were, they weren't stupid enough like most people. Pity.

Kousuke scratched his head, seemingly in thought. "That's a bummer. But do you really think that Monokuma and Mononeko would just let us have computers that would work?"

Mandy sighed. "The only thing this store offers are just spare parts and computer games, and I doubt that Monokuma left anything that would aid in creating some means of escape. So much for building a radio."

She glanced over at the two and noticed the white letter. "Okazaki, I noticed that you're carrying the other person's secret. You're not curious about reading it?"

Miki replied "I do not believe that I should. I was ordered not to, and I am following that request. But it appears that you have not followed it." Clicking her tongue, Mandy shielded the glow of her watch, but it was too late. How did she notice that quickly?

She tried to pass off with a smile. "Can't blame a girl for being curious. Yes, I looked at the other person's secret and I'm really surprised with what I learned."

"Isn't that bad, though?" Kousuke said. "Don't you think that when they find out someone knows their secret, then they'll… you know, kill?"

Please, if that girl was willing to kill, she would have done it already.

She scoffed. "It was Sora's and hers said that she wet the bed for a month when she was twelve. I really don't think that she would murder me over something as trivial as that." From the looks on their faces, they seemed to buy it. "Was that really so bad?" As if she would be stupid enough to lay all her cards on the table.

Kousuke didn't seem to be relieved. "Still… you shouldn't be telling us this! Someone could be nearby and listen in, and I don't want Sora-chan to catch wind either. Girl's got enough to deal with."

She was already bored with his unnecessary blabber, so she asked Miki, "So whose secret do you carry, Okazaki?"

"Don't ignore me!"

The Seamstress only blinked, her face a blank slate, not saying anything. Mandy tried to prod. "I already know whose secret that Kurosawa has, and the piano girl's secret is nothing to squander over. I'm curious on whose secret you carry, and whether it will be an immediate threat to anyone's safety. We wouldn't want someone like you to get killed, but then again, if we know whose secret you carry then it'll be obvious who the killer is."

"Anyone feel like it just got colder? Cause it feels like the miss is freezing the lass' and muppet's nips over her." Mandy narrowed her eyes when a certain boy came along. "What are you all talking about over here?" Jude asked.

Turning towards the Escapist, Mandy put on one of her smiles. "Jude, perfect timing."

"Run, dude, run." Kousuke tried to whisper (_tried_, being the word).

Mandy ignored him and continued. "Have you actually had your secret read, or vice-versa? Your watch is still red, so then the other person hasn't yet, just like you two. I'm actually surprised that anyone managed to go for a full hour without taking a peek." She was truthful on that matter, mostly amazed how few managed to not follow along with the two mastermind's plan.

Jude only shrugged, a carefree grin. "Well sorry, but I haven't even read Morita's yet."

…

The three stared at the Escapist. Mandy face palmed.

"Aw crap."

"I believe that this would be the moment to say that he has his foot in his orifice, correct?"

"I think you're supposed to say, 'foot in the mouth' Okazaki-chan. I think the orifice is something that shouldn't be talked with other people around."

"Please don't tell him, I'm afraid he could pound my face in if he so much as slapped me." Jude pleaded.

Kousuke waved it off. "Don't worry man, your secret's safe with us."

Jude grimaced. "You seriously did not make that kind of joke…"

"What joke?"

"So Jude has Morita's secret, I have Sora's, and Kurosawa has Maiyuri's." Mandy tapped the side of her glasses, a means to think. "We also know that both Micho and Ikeda have each other's, as well as Sora having Yoshikazu's; the secrets are given at random, so it's possible that the first two were a total coincidence." Looking back at Miki, she restated her previous question. "And so whose secret do you have?"

Miki raised her fist in the manner as in the Class Trial. "As Miss Diana had said prior, 'not without my lawyer'!" Her serious declaration, plus the outrageous sounding sentence wasn't appreciated. But it seemed to make Jude laugh.

Looking over at him in curiosity, Miki asked, "Why are you laughing?"

Mandy sighed. "Oh brother."

It took a moment for Jude to recover from his fit. "Sorry, it's just that sometimes you don't even act like a real girl, so I can't take most of what you say seriously. I just think and wonder if maybe like you're just some fictional girl from a book or cartoon. Ahaha!" He probably expected the others to at least give a laugh, but was surprised of the silence that emanated.

The other two were looking at Miki, whose head was hung low. "…Oh." She said.

"Okazaki-chan?" Miki lifted her head up immediately, startling Kousuke, and looked at Jude dead in the eye.

"May I ask, why is it you do not appear to take me serious? Have I not been serious in what I wish to say?"

Jude was nervous, being in the spotlight. "W-Well, I didn't mean to say-"

"But you have said that, and that must infer your own opinion on my behavior and how you view it. What you have said is that I do not behave in a convincing way as the girl I am to act."

Mandy whistled, clearly finding joy in this. "She's got you by the balls, calling you out."

"I see no balls, and I am not calling him out, because he is right here." She continued to stare at Jude's exhausted expression. "What?"

"That's what I'm talking about. It's like you take everything too seriously, thinking that whatever we say is either happening right or physically being done by someone." He and everyone else had to explain what they meant with Miki, and it was starting to get on his nerves. Jude was a patient man, but even he had limits. "Sure you're not a bit touched in the head?" He was just curious, wondering if maybe he was a bit…different from everyone else. Maybe that would explain things.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The harsh whisper from the Brainiac startled Jude, as well as bringing a chill to Kousuke's spine. Miki however, blinked, before she started to walk away, her expression blank. It seemed that she had enough.

He tried to explain himself. "Why're you asking me when I'm not asking you? I just want to know what the deal with her is; the girl doesn't seem to comprehend what the others talk about. I know it's rude, but it would help if we knew that she's, you know, slow."

Any ounce of emotion that Mandy had was gone; her eyes narrowed at the English _boy_. "That's going a bit too far Jude, and I would appreciate it if you would gladly shut up. I hear that word one more time, and I'll be able to see how hard I can throw that laptop at your skull." Kousuke noticed that her hands were clenched. "The fact you're even considering that just because someone doesn't understand what you say, then that person must have a mental issue is sickening. Have you even considered that maybe its cultural differences between you two?"

"Uh… Well, I suppose. I didn't think about-"

"That's right. You didn't think. Period." She began to walk away. "Whatever, I'm leaving. Come talk to me when you learn how to communicate between sensible people."

"Sorry about… that." If Mandy did hear, she didn't acknowledged she did.

Jude felt a slap on his shoulder. "Don't let her get to you, what you said could have happened to any of us." Kousuke flashed him a smile. "Want to help me catch up to Okazaki-chan and apologize?"

He only shook his head. "You go ahead, I'll catch up in a bit. I actually wanted to find a computer to mess around with." Whether Kousuke believed him or not, he shrugged his shoulders, trying to catch up with Miki.

"Okay. I catch you later."

"Will do." He was in silence, irritated over Mandy's attitude. Why did she have to go off about a simple question? It wasn't his fault, really.

Mulling over it, he reached into his pocket, the crumpled paper with a certain person's name on it. He could read her secret, but she didn't really seem like the kind of person who deserved it. He was about to stuff it back in when he noticed his watch. "Well I'll be damned."

"Couldn't stop you, huh?" The green light was almost a mockery, seeing as how this girl definitely had a worse secret then himself.

* * *

**Memory Theater**

_She was one of the few who always stood by his side. Of course, his private nurse was a marvel as well; the care and love she oozed from her being was something that he truly adored, but there was something about her that captured his heart in the red string wrapped around it. What was it about her that led him down the path of cupid, or Eros' own arrow piercing him with lust and love? She truly was a marvel among all._

_What any would see a hindrance to them, she saw merely a person, an individual who worked hard no matter how trapped he was in his small white cell. She would use her time and be with him, delivering new and merriment along, and at times, she managed to fall asleep right by him in his bed. At the age when he entered adolescent, his hormones were in a frenzy, his mind a clutter; dreams and delusions visited him daily, and with his boundless imagination, even his disability was forgotten for just a moment._

_Of course, that didn't mean he would have pounced on her like some sex-starved animal; he wished to experience love and romance with her in any manner whatsoever. This was no simple crush he had for her, the girl he move associated as a sister, no, this was love, at its purest and finest._

_And he would tell her._

_He would… tell her…_

_He… would…_

_He would, but he can't… because she's gone, and he's still here. It's been eight months, so he should get over it. She's dead. She's dead. She's dead._

"_It is a pleasure to meet you. Or should I mean, it is nice to see you again?"_

_She's dead. She's dead. She's dead._

"_You're not her and you'll never be her!"_

_She's… dead…_

* * *

**Okay, so I had someone message me about the Memory Theater's some time ago, asking about the people in them. A few mentioned other characters, and I realized that I should specify who needed to be answered in who they are. So I made this little chart that goes by every chapter from 2-1 to 2-6, mentioning how many people need to be figured out in each Memory Theater. Answer them all correctly and you'll receive the hidden message. Good luck! And please review, because I'm a lonely person who enjoys compliments and critiques. ( ;**

**1 (2); 2(1) (1); 3(1) (1); 4(1) (1); 5(1) (1); 6(1) (1)**

**Oh yeah, I also took the liberty of posting the current outfits for everyone, rather than write them in the chapter, in the character lists.**

* * *

**Also, more presents received from the Prize Roulette!**

**You revived the Floss Grappling Hook- A rope fastened by a braid of dental floss, just as strong as real rope; the hook however is not made of floss. (4)**

**(Floss Grappling Hook) given to Akihisa Futonomi by Diana Valentine.**

"**Thank you. It's nice you considered giving this to me."**

**You received the Ringleader Lion- A part of the toy circus quintet. The lion will spin in a circle on its feet. (1)**

**You received the Traditional Fan- A folding fan modeled after another time period. Refreshing for hot days. (6)**

**(Traditional Fan) given to Jude Beckett by Diana Valentine.**

"**Wow, I didn't think you would give me something so nice. Thanks, mate!"**

**You received the Mood Hair Clips- A pair of bunny hair clips designed to change mood of the wearer. (7)**

**(Mood Hair Clips) given to Miki Okazaki by Diana Valentine.**

"**I thank you. These are most suitable to me."**

**You received the Sour Sweet-ums- A brand of gumdrops that are considered the sourest candy in existence. Those who wish to try must be prepared to leave the earth. (2)**

**(Sour Sweet-ums) given to Mandy Dimuc by Diana Valentine.**

"**Heh. I didn't expect you would find something that I would enjoy. Thank you."**


	21. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-7

**Welcome back to the thrilling tale of Persona- I mean Dangan Ronpa. Sorry about that, just been a bit distracted with some things I've been doing. Anyway, I just want to say that ****Sakura Idol has answered the Memory Theater Challenge, yay~! And she has gladly agreed to release the hidden message to the general public, so here you go: it will be delivered at the end, people!**

**Also, look. I know it's not in my place to sound selfish, but for every person that reads, can you at least leave a review? I know that's asking a lot, but I would greatly appreciate it.**

**Enough talk, its murder time!**

* * *

**5 Days Left**

* * *

It had been two days since Monokuma and Mononeko had delivered the motive for the remaining students, and it was apparent that it was starting to work. Auruka looked down at her watch, the green glow of both the number six and a little dot a mocking reminder of what she had done, on the _day _the motive was given. Glancing over at other's wrists as they all darted conversing and eating, one could see more green dots than red dots.

She really couldn't blame anyone, she had read Amane's secret and actually talked with her about it; she just hoped that the others did as well. She grimaced at the thought of the others feeling mistrust between them, plotting murder and committing the acts. She shook her head, willing the bad thoughts to go away. She had to trust in everyone that they wouldn't go along with those two's plan.

Sora had placed the final plate of breakfast in front of Amane and began to eat. Auruka was almost done with her fried eggs; it was a request made by Diana to eat something closer to home and Sora had followed along. For some reason, she started to take requests on what everyone would like to eat, starting from when she made that really spicy curry a few days ago.

Kanade took a bite of seemed to be in bliss when the taste reached her tongue. "Ne, Imayoshi-san, I was just wondering how you made your food taste really good. The eggs just taste a little bit different in a good way, and I was curious- did you add something?"

Sora gave a smile, obviously happy that Kanade enjoyed the food. "Well…I actually added some herbs I found in the medicine store."

"That smelly place?" Kaishi asked.

Sora nodded. "Uhn. They have some herbs that go well in cooking. It's a nice place." She had such a nice smile, reminiscing about that place. Auruka did recall seeing the Pastry Chef around that store whenever she was in the mall.

"You've been spending a lot of time there, haven't you?" Kaishi smirked. "You know, I noticed that you're with Futonomi-kun when I see you guys; you're not using that place as an excuse, are you?"

Both mentioned instantly blushed, Akihisa diverting his eyes from everyone and Sora's mouth gaping opened as her eyes darted to Akihisa and then at Kaishi. Auruka felt bad for her at that moment, considering that Sora was the kind of girl that didn't do well with all attention on her.

Kanade, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy the attention on Sora. "Is that true Imayoshi-san?! Is that what you two do when we lose sight of you two?" She looked up at her friend, her eyes sparkling in joy.

Sora shook her head in a furious state. "P-Please don't assume that! To think such b-badly of Aki-kun would be most shameful on him!" she whimpered. Keiichi, oddly enough, grimaced.

As all eyes turned to Akihisa, he turned his head and shrugged his shoulders. "…That's right. The two of us don't do anything of the sort."

Diana waved to Sora. "Don't worry about it. I bet Morita is just jealous of Futonomi." He scoffed at her little remark, choosing to stuff his face then counter argue.

Kanade puffed out her cheeks, clearly disappointed. "Wouldn't that be Minobe-kun? He's the one who tries to be the charmer."

Amane sighed, clearly expecting Isamu to say something stupid and deal with it, but the odd thing was, nothing of the sort happened. Not just her, but the others realized just how quiet the Good Luck was.

He looked to be distracted, almost in a trance. "…What? O-Oh, right." He quickly answered, looking lost on what Kanade had said moments ago. It was definitely out of character for him to act this way.

"Minobe, are you alright?" Jude asked. "You seem to be distracted."

Isamu nodded, a small smile to reassure them. "I'm fine, really. Just a bit preoccupied with some other stuff…" His eyes drifted towards his watch, the light on it just the same as mostly everyone. The way he gazed at the dark truth on his wrist caused others to do so as well.

Auruka looked down at her own watch, but unlike the others, the only thing concerning her was the number 5 on the screen; she should have felt some form of dread like the others, but nothing came to her; the person who knew her secret had confided their own as well. But that was just her and Amane, so she doubted anyone had any time to confide with one another.

Diana sighed. "Great. Now look at what you did, ruining the mood. Hmph." She stood up from her seat quickly, startling a few. "Hey, come on! We shouldn't think about that kind of stuff, we should be thinking of what fun thing we should do instead!" She raised her hand in the air and smiled. "Who's with me?" The air was thick with apprehension, Diana's smile diminishing slightly.

Suddenly, a lone hand was raised; Amane gave an appreciative nod to Diana. "You're constant positive outlook is a blessing, Diana." Diana looked almost ready to burst with joy from Amano's support, and she herself stood up. "Look, maybe now's the time to actually turn the tables on Monokuma and Mononeko. They hope that we use this motive as a means to have one of us murder, but I say we destroy the thought-"

"And instead, you want us all to talk over with everyone over the secrets we were given." The cynical voice was followed by a sneer. Mandy had her head on the table, almost looking asleep or bored from a lecture.

Amane simply continued. "Exactly. If we discuss over our secrets, then we have no need to worry over someone using it to their advantage." She pointed over go Auruka. "Micho and I have done it, and I'm sure that you will as well if we all work together- why are you laughing?"

Mandy was indeed laughing, albeit looking like she was trying to hide it. "Because I have no idea what high-quality rose tinted glasses you're wearing right now would give you the idea of such a plan." She said. "I mean, do you honestly expect any of us in joining you in this notion of delivering our most well-kept secret to the public?"

Amane narrowed her eyes, not amused in the slightest. "Just because you don't agree with me, doesn't mean the others don't as well."

Mandy smiled. "Oh yes, because we can truly trust a spy- a mercenary who can kill without a second thought, because it's part of the mission. We should consider that a swordsman doesn't have skeletons in the closet deep enough to bring fear to our spines? Or that a super happy street performer doesn't have a few memories she wishes to bury? Or even if the most innocent-looking characters are not who they appear to be?" At the mention of themselves, both Diana and Akihisa flinched. Another, unknown to the others, was trying to ignore the conversation.

"I would advise you not to bring more suspicion unto the others." Amane said. "Don't think I know what you've been doing for the past few days: talking to anyone you can on whose secret they carry, using that to your own advantage as blackmail against each of us." At that mention, a few of the students felt their blood run cold. Mandy had already collected a few of their names, and showed little to no interest on any of their pleas days prior.

Mandy turned away, almost skipping, as she twirled a strand of her hair. "Ha. You're just as deluded as I expected." She looked over her shoulder, a carefree expression on her face. "I'm not blackmailing anyone, I'm simply collecting the secrets in order to defeat any potential killers. If any of you plan to murder anyone, then I'll simply use a list that I have that can point out whose most likely the culprit. So far, I managed to debunk half of us on whose secret we carry."

Akihisa scoffed at her threat. "Oh really? What happens if you're the one murdered? Wouldn't be much help if they take your stupid list from your cold, dead hands." At the mention of death, Sora trembled.

"Is that a threat you're making?" Mandy giggled at Akihisa's scowl. "Well, as if that would be a hindrance on my part; you honestly would believe that I would be incompetent to just stop at one list? I have a multitude of copies, as well as those who I know wouldn't betray me with a few of these copies." Winking at Amane, she gave a cheeky "If you believe that I can't trust those in which delivered those notes to, then I guess that kind of destroys the motion you had in mind."

Mandy's almost joyful attitude and Amane's cold expression both looked fearful, the atmosphere now denser than it was minutes before.

"This is starting to get more serious than I expected…" Kaishi said.

Kousuke stood up. "H-Hey, why don't we just settle down for a moment? Look I get it, you're stressed, I'm stressed, she's stressed; we're all stressed here, but don't you guys think know would be a good time to do this kind of thing?"

"She's right." Auruka said, surprised she was able to say anything at all. "You guys are just making it worse for us with all this talk. I don't want to get paranoid over every little thing that anyone does, so just quit it before you say something you'll regret. You two are definitely scaring at least a few…"

Mandy smiled at the Spy. "Tch." Amane looked away, clearly trying to suppress her anger.

"Oh? Are you angry over this, 007? Well if you want, we can continue this conversation later."

"What did you call me?" Amane snarled.

Mandy sighed, disappointed. "Ah, it doesn't matter since the reference flew over your head. I generally enjoyed this small chat with you."

"Is she serious?" Jude asked, stunned.

"As if that's your concern, Jude." Mandy bowed over to the table. "Thank you for the meal Sora, it was delicious." With that Mandy walked away, only stopping at the entrance. "Oh Amane, how about we continue this chat later without an audience, does that sound fine? Splendid." With that last word, she was gone, taking most of the group's fears with her.

"I really don't know what to say about that."

"She has made the 'dramatic exit', is that not correct?" Miki said, in her usual manner. The others definitely felt that what happened was something they shouldn't have to endure again.

"I don't even know if what she did was even considered in character for her." Auruka muttered, clearly underestimating what kind of people she was with. With what Mandy was doing, the end would probably bite her in the ass in the end.

"My, my, my, it seems that Mandy's definitely the antagonist!" The shrill voice of a feline robot surprised Auruka, and she and the others found her and her brother appearing, once again, from thin air. "Hey big bro, if that's the case, then who out of this bunch would be the protagonist?"

Monokuma put his paw under his… chin? "Hmm… if memory serves me right, then it's usually the one with the unruly hair." Auruka didn't really feel like a protagonist. "I always hated that though; why does there have to be a protagonist in the first place? It would be just okay to have no hero, so that we would have an unhappy story! Upupupu~"

Jude laid his head on the table in exasperation. "Honestly, you guys just come out when we're in our worst."

Monokuma nodded. "Of course we do, because we only have a limited amount of time with you bastards. You just don't know how busy we are with what we do; destruction and annihilation sound easy, but are quite the pawful."

Mononeko pulled Monokuma's shoulder. "Hey big bro, I just thought of something: what if this story were to feature more than one antagonist? Like, what if Mandy isn't the only bad apple in the bunch, but instead, there's more rotten fruit in the basket?"

"Ah, I see how you're my sister. You definitely are thinking outside the crate!"

"What do you mean?" Amano had asked, evidence of anger long gone (Auruka had noticed that she had been staring at her watch the entire time). Meanwhile, Sora had begun picking up the dishes.

"Well, it's obvious that from this motive, don't you think?" Monokuma laughed. "Most of you have already read your secrets, so you must realize just how messed up the other person is! And then, some of you know that someone else knows your secret, and you just can't deal with it, can you?"

Mononeko was twirling. "Who knows? Maybe they told others about your dirty secret, and now everyone knows that most horrendous truth about you! Can you imagine, everyone sneering at you behind your back, whispering about what they found out about you? It can definitely cause you to snap with a simple pull on the trigger." She and her brother then screamed "Boo!"

The sound of multiple plates smashing to the floor startled almost everyone, Sora herself on her knees, new cuts on her thighs, and blood beginning to come from them. She looked traumatized, her eyes tearing up, as she began cradling her own head.

Keiichi immediately ran to her aid, Kanade in tow. "Soracchi!"

"Imayoshi-san, are you alright?" Kanade cried, taking out a few tissues to clean the blood.

Sora's eyes widened, clarity coming back. She brought her hands down and gripped at her skirt. "…I'm…fine. I'll just… clean it up." Ignoring the two, she tried to reach for one of the plates closest to her.

Kaishi decided to give her a hand. "Hey, you shouldn't cut yourself again. Here, why don't I just help-"

"Don't get near me!" Sora shrieked, before slapping across Kaishi's cheek, the force of it pushing him back. Looking over at his cheek, the others saw three small red cuts across his right cheek. Sora, realizing what she had done, let out a silent cry. "I-I-I'm so s-sorry! P-Please forgive me!" Keiichi wrapped his arms around her, as she began cry, rubbing her back. Kanade, on the other hand, was almost frozen, like most of the others.

Kaishi touched his cheek, recoiling in pain. "Hurt…!"

Auruka came over to his side. "Are you okay, Morita-kun?" He nodded.

Monokuma only tilted his head in amusement. "Oh my~ is there already distrust between you all? Is there, Sora-chan?" Sora froze, while Keiichi glared over at the bear. "I didn't think that you would be so devious, hurting dear Kaishi's stupid face in front of everyone. He must be really hating on your guts now! Gwahahaha!"

"I… N-No… I'm sorry!" Pulling herself from Keiichi's grip, she ran off.

"Oy, Soracchi! Don't run away from us!" Keiichi went after her, as well as Kanade, the usual chase for Sora now looking kiss comedic and more somber. "Imayoshi-san! Wait!"

"Tee-hee! Looks like we managed to make one grownup girl cry! Big bro, high-five!"

"Yeah!"

"You bastards… what was that for, huh?!" Akihisa looked almost livid. "Making someone like her terrified is the only thing you got to enjoy here?"

Auruka was in full agreement. "He's right. You guys are just messed up little toys; one minute you act childish, and then the next you treat us like we're below you." She was expecting maybe another retort from them, so she could shut it down with her own (she had a lot to use). Instead, she was surprised to see that the two had stopped.

"…What did you call us…?" Even with his face stuck in smile, Monokuma didn't sound happy.

"Huh?"

Mononeko was the same. "I think she called us childish, big bro… she did."

"We're childish…?"

"What's up with them?" Jude asked. "All Auruka did was call you chi-"

"_Don't ever say that again, you hear me you little cunt!? Not ever again!"_ The roar from Monokuma was something unlike anything they've heard. For a brief moment, it didn't even sound like his usual voice, but more garbled and slightly deeper.

"_Shut up, shut up! Only true bastards say that kind of stuff! We're the big ones in charge, and no fucking bitch is going to say otherwise!"_ It was the same for Mononeko, but somewhat feminine. Whatever the case, Auruka could feel her heart beating in her chest, the way their beady eyes glared at her.

Looking at her in utter hatred, they both bellowed, _"So shut the fuck up, you dirty piece of trash, because you are beneath us!"_

The room was deathly quiet.

Mononeko cared her throat, her voice back to normal. "Oh my, we didn't mean to startle you like that- just a bit of anger slipping through. We apologize."

Monokuma sighed. "We should just do what most people with high levels of emotion and disturbing memories do- repress it, and then unleash it during a series of emotional episodes in our mid-to-late thirties. Bye-bye!" The two vanished just as quickly as they came.

When they vanished, Auruka could feel her knees start to quiver. She held the table's edge as to not fall down and make a fool of herself. "I'm… I'm traumatized. No joke, that was… really freaky and scary." She placed her other hand on her chest. "Oh god, my heart's racing."

"It appears we may have found the one thing that could actually bother those two. Good work, Micho." Miki flashed Auruka a thumbs up and a peace sign.

"You're not seriously thinking of using that against them when we see them again?" She asked. "I don't want to lose a few more years of my life…"

After recovering from that moment, the group began to disperse. Auruka didn't really blame them.

* * *

"Imayoshi-san? Imayoshi-san?"

"Soracchi? Everything's fine now. You don't have to worry over things anymore."

Sora barely moved from her seat, staring blankly at her hands in her lap. The two had chased her and managed to find her in the mall, hiding behind the statue of Sakura Oogami, balled up and rocking herself. With a little pleading, they managed to get her to sit down, both Nathaniel and Akihisa joining in. Right now, Nathaniel had gone to get some drinks for the group, heading to get them all smoothies from the food stand.

"Is she alright? She's hasn't moved that much." Akihisa was clearly worried, bringing a small smile to Kanade's face. She couldn't help but notice the slight bulge in his clothing, obviously a gift. She had already given up on the clueless Keiichi and decided to follow the true route for Sora- besides she was angry at Keiichi for saying such confusing things at her relationship with Sora.

Inwardly squealing at the development, she said "I'm sure she's fine, right Imayoshi-san?" She put a hand over Sora's, not noticing the slight flinch. "Please talk to me so we can know that you're okay. Pretty please?" Keiichi could only grimace at the cheerful face she was pulling, but she didn't even notice.

Sora paid no mind to her.

"Imayoshi-san," she pleaded. "You're starting to make everyone worry, so please, talk to us."

Keiichi shook his head. "Maiyuricchi, I think we should just leave her alone. Soracchi is just a bit… shaken after the thing with Ikedacchi and Mandicchi. I'm sure that anyone would just try to forget it, but Soracchi always has to worry a bit. Besides, the best we can do is let her just think alone." She was about to say something, but someone else beat her to it.

"Why don't you call her Dimuc?" Akihisa looked curious. "You called her by her first name."

"Eh? English is never my best subject." Keiichi scratched his head. "Saying words like Dimuc and Robinson are already a mouthful, so I just go by the first names since their a lot easier. They don't mind that I do it, so it's fine." That information floated in Kanade's head, and just as she realized something, Nathaniel came along, struggling to carry five drinks in colorful cups.

"Hey, I got the drinks. Here." He began handing one to everyone, and stopped at himself. Sitting down, he began to sip.

"Ah, thank you Robinson-san. Here you go Imayoshi-san, drink up." Kanade took a sip, before cringing in surprise. "Wait, this is orange. I asked for strawberry."

Nathaniel shook his head. "It seemed that the machine that made the strawberry shakes were broken. The one that made the orange was working, so I used that one. Sorry." He looked a bit ashamed that he didn't get the right drinks for everyone, but Kanade didn't mind.

"Oh no, no, no, it's fine, I was just surprised." She took another sip, surprised at the tanginess. "It's actually pretty good. I just wonder why the machine was broken in the first place."

Suddenly, the sound of something hitting the floor and rolling came from behind Kanade. Everyone turned to look behind them, except Akihisa and Nathaniel, who were on the other side of the table, but couldn't see where the sound came from.

"What was that?" Turning back, she noticed she might have knocked her drink and spilled a bit.

"I think it might be one of the others, but the only one I see is Kurosawacchi. Hey, Kurosawacchi!" Keiichi stood up in his seat to wave up at Kousuke, who was leaning on the rails on the second floor. He immediately waved back.

Kanade sighed at the obvious stupidity from the boy and directed her attention to Sora, who was staring at her smoothie. "Imayoshi-san, are you okay? You're staring at your drink. Imayoshi-san, are you alright?"

She opened and closed her mouth for a few moments, then finally spoke. "…The machines broken, right? That's what you said?" She looked over Nathaniel, fluttering him slightly.

"Y-Yeah. There was nothing coming out of the machine, so it definitely wasn't working. That's why I got the other flavor."

"Imayoshi-san, did you want the strawberry flavor after all?" Kanade asked.

She only shook her head, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "No. I'm fine." Her voice had no tone of timidness, more mechanical sounding, which didn't fare well with the others. "It's fine.

"Everything's fine." And with that she took a sip from her light orange smoothie.

* * *

"And I swear to you, she actually ate those things!"

"Really? I tasted them before and I almost felt like dying."

Diana shook her head and exclaimed "No but, Mandy isn't like normal- well, most of us aren't- but it was just weird seeing her pop them into her mouth one after another like they were mints."

Auruka was in the company with Diana for a few hours after breakfast. The two had hung around the stores near the center, talking small talk and past experience; Auruka was really amazed (and terrified) of some of the things the Street Performer had done in her early years. They had then decided to head towards the mall, and were currently walking on the road leading to it.

"You really are generous though, Diana-chan; giving everyone little gifts from that machine just seems like a really nice thing to do."

"Yeah well, I just want everyone to have something nice," Diana was blushing, a smug smile on her face. "But then again, I just really didn't want to carry all that stuff to my room. At least I managed to bring a smile to everyone's faces though."

Auruka laughed. "So, just how close are you to getting the complete set of those toys?"

"Just two more! I can already tell from their silhouettes that they're supposed to be a seal and a mouse, but I don't know what they're supposed to be! I just need to keep playing the slots so I can win more MonoCoins!" Diana seemed hell-bent on getting that set of toys, for whatever reason Auruka didn't want to know.

"And is that why you try to get others to join you?" She asked, remembering being asked, as well as seeing others caught by Diana as well.

"Ding! Right on the money!" Diana looked full of life, like a game show hostess. "But I was disappointed that Akihisa and Kaishi had already used their MonoCoins, and only to get pointless things. I understand Akihisa's intentions, but I just worry over the disastrous love triangle. Sigh. But I still have my day with the slots."

Auruka ignored the obvious question hanging in the air. "I'm just going to save us the trouble and not ask about the first one. You said you be using just the slots?"

She rubbed the back of her head in slight embarrassment. "Yeah, I'm not really good at anything else- ironic since I'm good at conning most men pf their paycheck, and they're the one thing I can expect winning MonoCoins… from…" The words had died down in her throat as she stopped.

Auruka looked at Diana in confusion. "Diana-chan? What is it?"

Diana placed a hand behind her ear. "…Do you hear that…? Shh! Listen. It almost sounds like… an alarm?" Auruka stayed silent, trying to hear what Diana was hearing. Focusing, she could hear the faint sound of what sounded like a blare of repeating sound.

She noticed the direction it was coming from. "Wait. It's coming from the mall!" Acting out of the usual action one would take, she ran _towards _the noise. "Let's go!"

Diana followed, managing to take the lead in a matter of seconds. "Why the heck is there an alarm coming from the mall?"

"Less talking, more running." They reached the empty lot, noticing the red eye on the Monokuma door was flashing in time with the alarm. More surprising was seeing Jude stumbling out of the mall, the closer they came, the more terrified he looked.

"Jude? What's wrong?" Diana had to raise her voice a little higher due to the alarm. "What's with the alarm?"

"Ghk! B-B-B-Bubub…"

"Speak clearly!" Auruka demanded.

"Bodies!" He screamed, shocking the girls, their eyes widening in realization. "There are b-bloody bodies inside! I was- I was going inside to meet up with the others and, and there was the alarm suddenly ringing on and then, bloody hell, there were people dead-" Before he could say anymore, both Monokuma and Mononeko ran towards them, wearing fireman helmets and dragging a hose.

"Fire! Fire! Move out of the way!" Monokuma kept repeating.

"What the heck!?" Diana exclaimed.

"What are you, deaf? Don't you hear the fire alarm?" Monokuma pointed at the flashing eye. "That means that the mall is on fire!" Hearing that caused the air to leave Auruka's lungs, looking past the door to see a small plume of smoke farther ahead.

"Big bro, we have to hurry!" Mononeko was starting to drag the hose inside. "If we don't then we can say goodbye to our inventory sales! Hurry, hurry!"

"Not the surplus! We don't even have insurance yet!" Monokuma, in a feat of inhuman strength, grabbed the hose, hoisted it in his arms, and ran inside, leaving Mononeko behind.

Diana grabbed Jude by the shoulders, looking at him in the eye. "Jude, I'm gonna need you to get the others. Auruka and I will go check up on the scene!" He only dumbly nodded, running towards the road, tripping slightly.

"What are you, crazy?!" Auruka was shocked to think that the two would even think of going inside the mall; if there was a fire, then the one thing they shouldn't do is run towards it!

Mononeko had placed her paw over her ear, like an earpiece. She then nodded. "Don't worry! The fire has been classified as being a small one, and closed off from spreading. Big bro is taking care of it now as we speak, so it should be safe. Unless we may have taken the hose that sprays lighter fluid instead of water."

"That's good enough for me. Now come one Auruka." Diana ran in, Auruka coming shortly after, slightly hesitant, but going for the sake of Diana.

When the two ran inside, the alarm's ringing was louder, the lighting of the mall was a deep red. Diana was about to cover her ears, when just as suddenly, the alarm stopped. It seemed that Monokuma had dealt with the fire, but the lighting itself was still the same. He was busy spraying the hose over at Punk Leon. The glass display window was shattered and there was smoke coming from nearby it, but it was soon put out.

The one thing that stood out was the one thing the girls hoped wasn't true, that Jude had simply mistaken what he had claimed to see.

Kanade Maiyuri was found slumped to the side of the feet of the mall statue, not moving. Her eyes were closed, and she almost looked peaceful, as if she was taking a nap. Auruka was about to run over to Kanade, but Diana stopped her, pointing over at a few feet away from Kanade's body.

Kousuke Kurosawa was sprawled on the floor facedown, blood pouring from beneath him, from possibly his forehead. What looked to be a drink in his hand had spilled, it contents staining his clothes. Auruka could feel her blood run cold, the fact that not only was one of her friends was murdered, but _two_. She almost wanted to throw up.

"Oh my," Monokuma's high-pitched voice tore Auruka away from her thoughts. "It appears that the fire has shown us something disastrous." He waved over at the girls. "Hey, you two! Look at this."

Robotically, the two walked passed the bodies, their faces stricken with fear and grief. What had Monokuma wished to show them? What else had happened here? Please, don't let it be what they both instantly thought of…

_* Ding * Dong * Ding * Dong *_

'_A body has been discovered! After a short period of investigation, we shall began a Class Trial.'_

Hidden behind the smoke, the third body found was found lying in the pile of broken glass. His legs were the only thing outside the display window, heavily scratched from the glass shards like the rest of his body, the most obvious cut being the one across his throat, blood finally drying and staining his clothes from his open wound- it was messed up how close in shading it was to his hair. Unlike the others, his eyes were obviously open, empty of all traces of life.

At that moment, Auruka wanted to scream, scream until her throat was raw, scream so that anyone outside this game could probably hear her. She just couldn't take it, not with this…!

Because Keiichi Yoshikazu was dead.

* * *

**Phew! I'm so done! Yay~ so now we finally have the body discovery announcement, alongside a hopefully more complicated mystery!**

**I would also wish to actually thank everyone for sticking with me this far. I've had a few rough patches, but otherwise I can finally be happy with how I'm going. Maybe I can at least work on my updating schedule…-_-**

**Oh, and before I forget, I would like to tell all my readers something special: I have plans for another story, with no relation to this one whatsoever. A Persona fan-made story with my own characters! It's just something I wanted to do, since I played/watched Persona 3, 4, and Q, and with the hype for Persona 5 coming along. I have a clear concept and actually some designs and drafts I've been working on. Of course, with that in mind, I probably will have to work out some things… namely updating. It will probably be a side project, updating irregularly. I'll probably upload a little teaser sometime this month or so… so there we go.**

**Thank you, everyone for dealing with an irregular writer like me, and don't forget to review!**


	22. Do Students Dream of Hopeful Killing 2-8

**Holy crap, I feel like I'm dying in so many ways! I guess I would consider myself murdered as well, just like Kei-chan! Why does that feel like I'm punching my chest? Well then, the only thing to deal with is excessive murder and tears! And before I forget, here's the hidden message that was kindly solved and then asked to be shared with you guys. Enjoy!**

**WKH XOWLPDWH KDFNHU KDV WHDPHG XM ZLWE WKH XOWLPDWH EXOOGRCHU. WKH OHDGHU KDV EHHK UHYHDOHG DV WKH HOLWH ZDUORUG.**

**Edit: Just added some little details that I forgot to put in earlier. Sorry -_- **

(x)

Auruka couldn't stop the churning in her stomach as it pushed upwards, nor could she even manage to not make it less than a few feet before hurling it on the floor. She could feel herself choking, tears welling up in her eyes as she emptied her stomach. She felt a hand soothing her back and looked up to see Diana with clear concern.

She grimaced. This wasn't like with Yoshi's body, not at all. With him you would pretend with something like he was asleep or passed out; in most of her cases, the victims always looked like that. She only ever saw something like bruises, or broken bones, and on the off chance that they were dead, they still had a semblance of appearing to be faking it.

This wasn't anything like that, with actually seeing blood still pouring out of Keiichi's throat, the emptiness in his eyes, which were full of life a couple hours ago. She sat across from him during breakfast!

Auruka burped, her stomach doing its best to push nothing through her esophagus. The stench of her vomit reached her nose, and she tried spitting a few times to get the taste out of her mouth. "Easy, there. Don't want you puking out your guts this time." After dry heaving for a minute, she started to regain breathing. Diana did her best to lend support as Auruka picked herself up. "You okay now?"

Auruka nodded. "Ugh…I… I guess. I just… never was that good with… this…"

Diana let put a short laugh. "I understand." The smile she tried to give died down. "Look, you can sit this out of you want to-"

Auruka held out her hand. "No. I…I have to do this." She moved away from Diana, regaining her balance, and stood up straight. "I'm not going to give those two the satisfaction of me lying in my own filth." She wouldn't allow this to turn out like before, with the two mastermind's laughing in glee over her despair. She wasn't going to let herself be chickened out of this, not without giving Keiichi a proper trial, in order to find out who did this. "I have to put my part in this so… we don't have to die." She wasn't going to quit, not in a million years!

Diana was silent, before she muttered. "What you said, about lying in your own filth?" She took a few steps back. "You didn't vomit on yourself, did you?" She asked with apprehension.

The face that Auruka gave seemed to answer that question. "Oh good, I was almost worried." She rubbed the back of her head and laughed in embarrassment. Her eyes drifted away from Auruka, but stopped on something behind the Defense Attorney. She looked almost shocked. "Hey, wait a minute. Oh my god, is that…Sora?!"

At the mention of the Pastry Chef, Auruka turned her head to Diana's direction, and was greeted with an almost familiar situation. Sora was lying on the ground, just like the others. The oddest thing was, that by her side was the same looking smoothie that Kousuke had, only it was sitting up like someone had set it down; what was bizarre as well was how Sora was lying- almost like a princess in a fairy tale, her arms crossed across her body and her crown placed between her hands.

While Auruka was bewildered, Diana rushed over to the young girl. She lifted her head slightly and placed her index and middle finger to her neck. "She's asleep. Jesus, this girl is gonna give me a heart attack one of these days." Right before she placed her back down, Sora stirred. Diana then tried to gently rouse her awake. "Sora, wake up. Hey, wake up."

The blonde's face scrunched up, her arms slipping down to her sides. Her eyelids fluttered, and soon they began to open. "…Mmh…"

Auruka rushed over to her side. Sora blinked a few times, her head now in Diana's lap. "…I…what…?"

Auruka could only grin, not just for the fact that Sora was fine, but on another matter- that the others could be fine as well. "It's okay, you're fine. Thank god."

Sora, however, looked far from relieved. "…Why…? Why… am I… still…" She tried to push herself up, but Diana held her down. Sora accepted it and lied back down. Auruka was about to hopefully ask her some questions, but with her state of drowsiness, it wouldn't be the best time.

The sound of various footsteps alerted the two girls of the others arrival, alongside some screams of shock over the state of the mall.

"Oh my god!" Someone exclaimed, and Auruka ran over to the others. Spotting the closest person, she waved over to them.

"Beckett-kun, over here!" Hearing his name, he hurried over to Auruka and nearly screamed upon seeing Sora before they explained her condition. "Listen, I'm gonna need you to watch over Sora-chan right now. I'm sure you probably don't want to, but with what happened…" She swallowed, and looked him in the eye. "Just please."

"You don't have to tell me twice." He said, going to her side and taking Diana's place; the two went over to the other students at the front of the statue, who were a considerable distance from Kanade and Kousuke. Mandy was one of two (Miki included) who wasn't the very least shocked.

"Maiyuri. Kurosawa. Are they…?"

The Brainiac walked over to the two, stopping at Kanade and placing her fingers at her throat. After a moment she said, "No. I still feel a pulse, so they're not dead." She glanced over at the broken display window. "But Yoshikazu over there… he's dead, right?"

Diana nodded. "Yeah."

Kaishi gritted his teeth and snarled. "Damn… Damn it! What kind of bastard would do this to Yoshikazu?" He then noticed the absence of a few others and soon grew fearful. "Wait, where's Sora-chan!? She didn't see this yet, did she?"

Diana shook her head. "Jude's watching her. She's knocked out like the others." She looked over the group, counting more than a couple of people missing. "Actually, I just noticed that were short some people. We're missing three- Nathaniel, Akihisa, and Amane."

"What about me?" The Spy's voice startled most of the group, appearing from behind. She was almost clam, if not a bit confused. "What?"

"Where did you come from?!" Isamu exclaimed.

Amane frowned, not seeming to be much alarmed over the situation. "I just arrived. Something wrong with that?" Looking ahead of their faces, Amano then caught sight of the crime scene, her eyes widening at the sight of the two bodies and the third in the display window. "What… happened?" she asked, her voice cracking.

Mandy sighted and tilted her head. "You're joking, right? Obviously, someone had decided to try to escape and killed dear Yoshikazu." Her expression shifted when she looked at Amane's eyes. "Normally, this would be the best time to gloat, but I'm afraid we don't have the time." She looked up at the peak of the statue of the great warrior. "Isn't that right, Monokuma?"

Lo and behold, the mentioned animal was sitting on top of the head, a marker in his hand. He was just in the midst of about to write a mustache on the face. "Man, you just like ruining any kind of surprise." He threw the marker away and climbed down the statue, taking his time swinging on the arms. "I bet you're the type of girl who'd spoil her own birthday just to gloat!"

Mononeko popped out from the back, before sliding down to the bottom. "Yay! It looks like everyone is accounted for! Now we can begin with the investigation period."

"What are you talking about?" Auruka asked. "Not everyone's here."

Monokuma placed his paw under his chin. "Technically, yes. But I won't say anything else regarding it." He giggled and from out of thin air, produced the Monokuma File. "As you might have noticed from our attitudes, we are just excited for this next class trial! So much mystery and twists and turns, oh, but I shouldn't spoil much." Walking over to Auruka he handed her the file. "So, let's just start with the Monokuma File for our dearly departed right here. Upupupu~"

Mononeko then raised her paw. "Aw, but before I forget, I just wanted to let everyone know that we gave your ElectroIDs a little update. Now, you'll be able to take pictures for evidence. Sorry about the delay, but at my age I forget _so _many things."

The two siblings then started dancing around like children, but Auruka tuned it out as the Monokuma File turned on. The silhouette of Keiichi was displayed, alongside some blood stains arousing from the throat and head. Underneath it, she read aloud the summary.

**Monokuma File #2**

**The Victims is Yoshikazu Keiichi. He was discovered in the Monokuma Mall, lying within the display window of Crazy Diamonds. The time of death is 4:27 pm.**

**The cause of death is the clean cut across his throat, resulting in massive blood loss. There is also bruising to the left side of the cranium, and small cuts across the arms and torso.**

Diana peeked over and let out a short gasp. "He was killed at around 4:30…so that was, no more than ten minutes ago...! Why didn't anyone help?"

From the state of the others, and the scene of the crime, Amane tried to give a theory. "I don't think they could. I'm thinking this was a setup, so that no one would be able to help." Closing her eyes for a moment, her blank face returned and she adopted her investigative façade. "We'll need to find the others, to get any information they have. And now, it looks like we're going to have our hands full, considering we have a bigger crime scene." With that, the students grouped together in twos or threes, leaving Auruka with Diana.

Auruka looked down at the file, not wanting to have another look over at the body or the state of the mall. However, she felt a shove on her shoulder and saw that Diana was rubbing her head on it.

Looking up, the Street Performer said, "Hey, Auruka. We're going to do our best to help out." She had an almost sparkle in her eyes as she smiled. "Don't look so glum, ya hear? Your face is gonna stay that way, and nobody ain't gonna want to hang with a Debbie Downer."

Auruka blinked, before she returned the smile. "Sorry. I'll do my best." She shouldn't be like this, she thought. She shouldn't be so distracted by her own thoughts and worries.

"Awesome." Diana stood in front of Auruka, posing heroically to her. "From here on out, you're Diana Valentine's assistant for the investigation!" She then gave a big dramatic peace sign to the Defense Attorney. "Do your best to impress me, rookie!" Auruka was almost stunned, at the way that Diana seemed to hold herself so together, her positivity and constant good nature. As she smiled, a lone thought entered her mind.

"Wait, how am I the assistant?" she asked.

Diana grinned. "Because I called dibs."

Auruka had no response to that.

Diana looked over at the display window. "So, I guess before we start investigating the area, we should give one last look at Keiichi's body."

That surprised Auruka. "Huh? Why?"

"In most crime dramas, the investigators check out the body first and foremost." Diana wagged a finger in Auruka's face, looking at her with disappointment. "See, this is why you're the rookie. You blindly follow Monokuma's and Mononeko's stupid file, without thinking they may have hidden some other details."

Before she could retort, Auruka took a moment to think over it. Diana did make a good point actually, and even if she didn't want to, someone had to at least see if there was evidence on the body. "You don't have to sound so smug about it…" she finally said.

The two checked over the window for Punk Leon, noticing a few details: the only part of the glass that was broken was the part where Keiichi laid, and that he was lying on his side. Auruka tried not to stare too long at the body. She still couldn't believe it, that a young, strong man could easily end up dead in the span of ten minutes. Diana shivered, being vocal an out her disgust. "Well, I just wasted a couple minutes, and potentially ruined my ability to sleep tonight." Auruka was about to agree when something else caught her eye.

"But what about this?" A shard of glass was hanging from near the top of the hole, a small amount of fresh blood dripping from it. "You think he may have hit the glass over here? There's some blood here."

Diana looked over it and then back at Keiichi's body. "I don't know. I don't see any blood in his hair, but he is lying on the right side of his head." She turned to Auruka, a perverted grin on her face. "Want to get some head?"

The Defense Attorney felt her energy drain from her. "...That joke only works on guys, you know."

"Ehehehe, I'm surprised you caught on to that innuendo. Still, I guess it does seem pretty suspicious so we should snap a photo." Taking out her ElectroID, Diana found a camera app on the lit screen. She positioned the camera and tapped the screen, taking a picture of the evidence. "Someone must have definitely had enough strength to take down something like Yoshikazu-kun. Wonder what they used around here?"

"Hopefully we'll manage to figure it out." Auruka said.

Diana sniffed and then turned towards a small trashcan nearby. "I want to check out the fire, see if there' anything we can find." Taking caution of the small amount of glass near the trash can, she peered inside and made a face at the smell. "Seems like a trashcan fire- someone set the fire inside a trashcan and let it burn. Whatever was in it is gone, just ashes…and this."

Auruka didn't know what she was pointing at and peered inside. "It looks like, some kind of gun?" It looked like a gun of some sorts and was charred, but if one looked closely you could see flecks of red underneath. "Someone actually had a gun in here?!" She then took a moment to take a picture.

Diana shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. But I think I might have found what set the fire." Inside was also a misshapen piece of plastic, a mixture of black and red. "It looks like this is what happens when you set a lighter." She took another sniff. "Whatever was used in the fire smells sweet." She raised her nose in the air and began sniffing, reminding Auruka of an animal. "Wah!"

"What is it?" Diana was looking straight up at something and Auruka followed. "Oh dear God."

From the second floor, dangling above was a hand, but before either could say anything, a head popped up.

Kaishi pointed at the hand. "Yo! Looks like we found Futonomi. Just like the others, he looks passed out."

The girls let out simultaneous sighs of relief. "Well, maybe you shouldn't try to wake him up then, Kaishi." Diana said. "Any sign of Nathaniel?"

"The others found him near the steps. Hang on!" The Water Polo Player exclaimed. "I just need to get down there." He then ran all the way to the steps closest to the girls and managed to reach them in record time.

"Why didn't you take the elevator?" Auruka asked.

"The stupid thing wasn't moving-must be broken or something." He tried to avoid any contact with the body as he sighed. "So did you guys managed to solve the case already?"

"It doesn't really work like that Morita-kun…Did you managed to find anything?"

"Not really. I barely had any time here. I was… doing something else in the square when the announcement came on." He almost looked embarrassed but continued. "Of course, I heard Beckett-kun screaming his lungs out, he told us about what happened and Miki-chan and I hurried with the others."

Diana caught his mistake. "Ah! You were with Miki? How lewd~"

This time, his face was aflame. "N-Not like that! I was just… talking about some things with her. Oh, but I did noticed something odd when everyone came to the mall- out of everyone Amane was the only one missing! You think with Beckett-kun screaming and the alarms, anyone would run over. I even saw her near the road to the mall."

Auruka froze, but the two didn't seem to notice. "I wonder why that is…" Diana muttered. "Knowing her, she would be the first to arrive."

Giving a wave to end the conversation, Auruka started walking away. "Well thanks for the information, Morita-kun. We'll keep investigating." Kaishi looked confused, but waved back. Diana said bye and followed auruka, but after she took a picture of Akihisa, as she started heading to where he said Nathaniel was.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Diana asked. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing." Auruka quickly replied, before biting her tongue. "I just… I just don't want to automatically assume that Amane-san is the culprit, okay?" she didn't want to give herself away and hastily added. "Besides…I think I want to check out the store a bit…for clues."

Stupid. She was expecting the other to start calling her out, but instead-

"I see your honing in your detective skills, rookie! Fufufu~ a true detective would check every inch of the main area around the body." Diana gave a dramatic pose as she spun on her heel. "Just like in most dramas, we'll be able to find a shred of evidence hidden in plain sight. I'm so proud to call you my apprentice!"

Auruka didn't know if Diana was being serious or was just playing along. "Thanks…"

The two had found Nathaniel, passed out like the others, with Mandy and Isamu looking over him. The Fencer looked entirely different as he slept, looking younger and more… cuter.

"Looks like he's just like the others then." The Good Luck scratched his head, nodding to the two girls. "Wonder what could have done this to five people?" He turned to Mandy. "You think the killer might have just blitz attacked everyone and only managed to kill Keiichi?"

She only shook her head. "As if something like that would be so easy to accept; if the killer had done that, then everyone else would immediately gang up on them."

"Then what do you think happened to them?" Diana asked, squatting to get a better look at Nathaniel, poking at his cheeks in amusement.

Mandy took her glasses off and started to clean them with her shirt. "I have a few theories on that, but I won't be certain until I see something. Any luck with finding clues around here?"

Auruka could only sigh. "Not much to help."

Isamu crossed his arms, looking discouraged. "Shit, I just realized how big this mall really is; who's to say the killer didn't stow away all the evidence everywhere?" He gritted his teeth and clenched his arms. "We're down six people- five unconscious and one dead- and I don't know if eight can really do much with this!" Only after did he find the three girls silent.

Auruka was the first to speak. "Minobe-kun. Are you feeling alright? You seem…stressed. More so than the situation."

"I'm fine." He didn't look like he wanted to say much after that.

Auruka didn't really want to bother him, but she needed some information on the two. "Hey Dimuc-chan, do you or Minobe-chan have anything to help- memory wise?"

Mandy looked interested in Auruka's question. "Ah, I see. The answer is no. I was simply enjoying my time in the square when I heard Jude screaming. Nothing of importance."

Isamu shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. I was actually by myself in my room. I saw Miki-chan and Morita-kun coming from behind me, but other than that, nothing suspicious. Whatever those two did, it's not my business."

Both Auruka and Diana were stunned; Isamu didn't question on two of the students, a boy and a girl, coming from the same room! Mandy didn't pay much mind. "I'll admit that Yoshi's case was easier than this, as harsh as that may sound, but I believe I'll find the answer if I check something out. Excuse me, I'm feeling parched and would like to get a drink." Ignoring the looks, she spotted a nearby person. "Miki, I'm going to ask you to watch over Nathaniel with Isamu."

Miki nodded. "Affirmative." Mandy gave a small bow and headed over to the food court, but not before a voice rang out through the mall.

"H-Hey wait! Damn it, listen to me!" It was definitely Jude's, but the next one was someone else.

"Noooooooo! Nononononono!" Everyone in the mall heard it, and everyone recognized it, and a few felt dread from the desperation in it. Almost everyone ran towards the scene and found a heartbreaking sight. It was closer than where she was before, almost a few feet from Keiichi's body. Jude was trying his best to hold Sora back, but she continually fought to escape his grip.

"Kei-chan! Kei-chan! Let go of me, let go of me!" Isamu and (surprisingly) Akihisa tried to help, but that was when the Pastry Chef began kicking and clawing. She didn't even look like Sora, but more of a frantic animal. Tears were streaming and she kept screaming.

Finally, she managed to knee Jude in the groin and slip past the other boys, stopping when she reached the display. At seeing his body did her knees give out and she let out a silent cry. "Hah… hah… T-This can't… H-He's…no…"

Auruka tried to get close to her. "Sora-chan…I'm so-"

"Hmph! Ghh!" Sora immediately covered her mouth, before she pulled them away as she threw up, her bile a dark orange.

"Shit!" Diana exclaimed.

The young blonde cradled her head, sniffling and sobbing. "…Please stop it…" She whispered. "Stop doing this to me! Just stop doing this to me! I'll be good, I promise…! I'll be a good person… just please stop it…"

Isamu tried to get close to her, extending a hand. "…Sora-chan…?" She however ran off.

"…I didn't mean…" Jude muttered, almost in shock. "I tried to stop her." He grimaced in pain, his voice a little higher. "Oh god, I think I'm going to…"

Auruka tried to rub his back like Diana did with her. "Easy there, man. Look, why don't you get someone to help you find Sora-chan. Maybe she might give some information to help out, and if not, then just make sure to comfort her."

Isamu nodded. "Right. And I'll help you with her." He was about to follow after the Pastry Chef, but found himself with Akihisa behind him. "Oh, I guess you can come to Akihisa-san." With that the three headed towards Sora's direction.

Diana gripped her arm, clearly troubled by the outburst the Pastry Chef had made. "Damn it. That girl is already high-strung. She must be devastated."

"Yeah. I don't know what…" Auruka paused, realizing on who was here at the moment. "Hey, if Sora-chan and Futonomi-kun are ready awake, does that mean the others would be?"

"Probably. Maybe. Most definitely!" Diana exclaimed. "Maybe they might even have the answer to what happened to them." The two girls hurried to where the others were, but found that they were beaten to the punch."

Amane had her hand on Kanade's shoulder, looking at her with patience. "Is that all you remember? Nothing else after that?"

Kanade only shook her head, clearly distressed. "No. I just can't believe it." She looked around her for a second. "What about Imayoshi-san? Where is she?" She looked worried over her friend, but could only hug her knees.

"Oh! Kanade, you're awake- Kousuke too." Diana waved at him and he waved back. "Don't worry about Sora, she has some of the guys looking out for her."

Auruka looked at Amano with a small smile. "Were you just asking about anything her about the murder?" Amano nodded. "Anything to help?"

"Unfortunately I couldn't get anything important. Both she and Kurosawa have little to no recollection on their situation. All they recall is about half an hour ago, and even then there's just holes in their memory."

Kousuke sighed a few paper towels in his hand as he tried to clean the large stain in his clothes. "I'm sorry we weren't much help. Wait, hold on a second." He then reached into his pants pocket, but only pulled out the pockets on both sides. "Nope, shoot. Never mind then."

"Did you guys managed to find anything about the murder weapon?" Auruka asked. "Maybe you could figure out what happened to-" Suddenly a bronze bat was thrown in her face, startling her.

"Yo, guys! Check this out." Holding the bat was Kaishi, and he pulled the bat back to show it off.

"What is that? Some kind of bat-like object?" Diana asked with clear amusement.

Kaishi grinned. "Right, you see, I was trying to help out when I noticed something inside the store over there." He pointed over at Punk Leon, the main crime scene. "It wasn't until I got closer that I noticed that it was the bag that Yoshikazu-kun always has." He showed the bag, strapped to his back. "It looked like it was half-open and I found this baby inside. Check it out, it's definitely our murder weapon!"

As he held it up, Auruka paled as she noticed blood on it. Amane took it from Kaishi's hands and inspected it. "This is the murder weapon all right: they're some blood and a slight dent. I guess the killer used Yoshikazu's own bag to hide the weapon. It looks like the bats that were inside the store."

"It would have made sense to hide it with the other bats…" Kanade muttered, while Diana managed to take some pictures.

"Well, at least we found it." Auruka said. "Oh Ikeda-san, I needed to ask about where you were a whole before the body was discovered? You were a little late to arrive."

"Oh… Well I was taking a shower in my room when I heard the body discovery announcement." Amane's eyes flickered away from the two girls. "Of course I got out just as it ended, and then I managed to arrive at the mall. Forgive for taking so long."

Diana tilted her head. "Huh. Well if you were taking a shower, then you must have felt gross earlier. I know I would too after dealing with Mandy the way you did with her."

That managed to get a small chuckle out of Amane, and that seemed to make Diana glow with pride. Meanwhile, Kaishi began to search through the bag, sitting down on the floor so that he could place down the items. The others were surprised to find how spacious the bag was with the various items.

He started listing the items. "Let's see here, we got some other junk in here. Here's that megaphone from a while back, and some… sticks?"

"Those look like flagpoles." Diana poled a bit through the bag. "Look, here's some flags!" She pulled out golden triangular flags and laid them down, taking more pictures.

"Okay and there's also some headbands." Kaishi's eyebrows raised. "A… mini drum? Man, he even had a couple pom-poms! He definitely was the Super High School Level Cheer Captain." Making sure he had everything, he flipped the bag upside down and started shaking. Lo and behold, two more items fell out.

Auruka grabbed the first item, holding it between her index finger and thumb. "What's this? A piece of cardboard?" It was white on one side and orange on the other, feeling a bit thick. It almost reminded get of a notebook cover on how it felt. "It looks like it was part of something."

"Oh. What's this?" The second object was a small white square, and upon closer inspection it turned out to be a photo flipped over. The photo was a simple picture of what seemed to be someone's home, and posing in it were two people, a boy and a girl. They were young, but it was obvious who the two were.

"Is that who I think it is?" From Diana's comment, Auruka could clearly see that it was indeed the two. They may have looked about middle-school aged, but no one could miss the spiky red hair on Keiichi, or the timid looking eyes Sora had. There was just a few differences from their current selves- Keiichi was more muscular and had no baby fat on his cheeks, and Sora had long flowing hair. The two were holding hands and were smiling at the camera, Keiichi more enthusiastic than the Sora.

"They look so… young." Amane commented in a hushed tone. Kousuke and Kanade were the only two who had no idea what the four were looking at.

Diana tapped the side of her head. "Oh this must be when they first met. Sora told me all that she and Kei actually met a couple years back. Apparently, her parents had just opened a store in downtown Tokyo and one of the first customers was Keiichi. She said he was visiting from Sendai."

At that, Auruka froze. Sora and Keiichi knew each other, the two were friends in the past. They had known each other when they were young…and Sora had found that Keiichi was murdered. "No wonder she snapped earlier…" With Miki, she didn't express much, but it was obvious she was distressed. Sora had completely broken down. Even if the two reacted differently, they both lost someone close to them.

Kanade looked over at the now silent group. "What are you guys whispering about?"

Suddenly, the voice of Mononeko rand out from unknown speakers. "Attention students, attention! The investigation period has ended, so we ask you to now continue outside. Please lead yourselves to the gazebo to begin the Class Trial. Thank you."

Amane looked over at the others, before nodding. "Well, I guess we're going to have to finish this in the trial. Best of luck to all. Let's go."

Diana looked over at her, clear concern on her face. "Auruka, are you ready?"

Auruka paused, wanting to say that no, she wasn't. She wasn't ready and she never would be. But images flashed past her- of Yoshi's smile, Hanako's tears, Sora's breakdown. This wasn't just her that wasn't ready, but everyone. No on here was ready to atone for the crime they committed or the fact they would have killed everyone else if they succeeded. But Auruka had to try, just to try, to at least fight against the ones responsible for this game. If not her, then who?

Auruka took a deep breath and looked at Diana directly in the eye. "Yeah. I'm ready."

Diana only nodded "Good. A detective's assistant must always be ready, so you're already playing your part well!" Taking Auruka's hand, the two followed everyone to the elevator. Auruka had noticed that Sora was with them, hiccupping, and holding Isamu's hand as he himself, looked near ready to break down. Akihisa was following behind her, but stopped to hand something to Kousuke, who looked relieved on whatever he got.

It wasn't before long that they reached the square.

As everyone settle into the elevator, Auruka felt bile in her chest as she noticed it wasn't as tight in there as before. They were down two people… and soon another as well. The elevator shifted and began its downward descent into the courtroom; everyone's nerve a flutter in various ways. Kousuke was chewing on what looked to be a piece of candy, Diana was running her hands through her hair, and Sora was still sniffling. For some reason, the way down felt longer before the elevator passed the door towards the courtroom.

Before they protested, it stopped at another door further below the first. The doors opened wide, revealing a completely different room from before. The students felt no choice but to go through.

The courtroom almost had the illusion of being outside, with pure soil replacing the ground, a maze of trees as the surrounding walls, and if one listened closely, were the sounds of cicadas. Up above, the ceiling was painted with bright blue and splotches of white, a bright yellow light in the center. The circle of podiums were almost sloppy and hastily built, and breaking it in half, a small creek flowed through the middle.

Monokuma and Mononeko were seated on their throne, the only odd thing in the room. "Well hurry up everyone! Let's take our place and start this trial." Monokuma said.

Grimacing, Auruka had settled down at her podium and took a quick glance at the portrait of Hanako. Her smile was simple, but the photo had the same looking X across it, just with a different take. Instead, she had what appeared to be a depiction of two candles across, with some of the paint dripping downs from the frame.

Keiichi's had a different take- two flags made up his X, and Sora could only sob as she took notice of his portrait. Hearing the giggles from the two animals, Auruka clenched her fists. This was all their fault, not just the murderers, and she wouldn't stand for it. She swore she would avenge Keiichi's death, as well as Yoshi's, Hanako's, and even the murderer's!

_In a city filled with an unlimited amount of despair, a flame of unwavering optimism would do its best to stay strong against the harsh winds. Unfortunately, the flame known as Keiichi Yoshikazu was extinguished by someone who could no longer take the cold. Murdered by someone who he could call 'friend', it was up to those unlucky few who are still alive to solve his untimely death. The trial for the murder of the Super High School Level Cheer Captain Keiichi Yoshikazu had now begun. _

**Okay, now that we finished with that, I have another announcement. As some of you know, I just posted the prologue to a Persona fic that I wanted to do for a while. And add City of Despair (plus some other stories and sequels) and my classes at my college, I have a big plate. So far, the schedule for this will hopefully be a sort of switch around. This month was CoD, next month will be Fragments, and so forth. Or, I'll probably post the next couple chapters of the class trial by next month…**

**We'll just have to wait and see. And don't forget to review!**


	23. Class Trial: 2-1

**I am on a mother-bleeping role here people! And to think I felt should crushing disappointment because of a thing from this story no less than a couple of hours after I darted this! **

…**I really need a hobby…**

**Alright, here it is- the long awaited Class Trial for the murder of Keiichi Yoshikazu! Now, just a bit of a note, this class trial may seem a bit… different. And some of the stuff are probably going to be confusing or even plain exciting in your eyes. Blame the hype from Dangan Ronpa V3 for that, I mean come on! Did anyone else felt euphoria from that!? I know I did!**

**And the new Dangan Ronpa Anime is going to be so A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Everyone's so grown up and so beautiful! Oh god I can't take it anymore; just read while I go squeal in a corner!**

* * *

"Now then, let's begin with a simple explanation of the class trial." Monokuma said. "All will present their arguments regarding 'whodunit' and vote at the end of the trial. If you bastards manage to finger the guy, then only the Blackened will receive punishment…but if you pick the wrong one, then we'll punish everyone besides the Blackened."

"And that person will be able to leave this city and Graduate!" Mononeko exclaimed. "They'll be able to have a normal childhood once again, even though they killed thirteen students!"

Mandy sighed, clearly tired of those two. "Exactly why are you explaining this to us once again? We already heard this the first time and would rather not hear you two blubbering on."

"Well that's mostly because we know how short children's attention spans are. We speak from experience." Monokuma leered over at the Pastry Chef, who had barely moved as she settled at her podium. "Especially Sora-chan. Isn't that right?"

The mentioned girl had her head hanging down. "…"

Kanade looked over at Sora, concern over her face. "Imayoshi-san…? Are you sure that you should be here? You can be excused from this trial if you wish, right?"

Mononeko shook her head. "I'm afraid that's not possible. All students must participate in the trial or else."

Kanade opened her mouth to try to give some excuse for Sora, but was silenced by the Pastry Chef. "No…hmmm…I'm fine…" Her tone was empty, almost emotionless.

Kanade didn't think that someone in her condition should say such things. "Are you sure? I know we weren't really that close with Yoshikazu-kun, and his death is a tra-"

"I said I'm fine _alright_?!" She exclaimed, her tone full of fear and panic; she had her arms wrapped around her, her eyes filled with intense anger.

Kanade recoiled in shock. "Eyaaah!"

Kaishi felt his nerves tighten. "Wh-What the…?!"

"What the heck…? Unnecessary character development…!" Kousuke exclaimed.

Diana was shocked. "That's definitely out-of-character for Sora…!"

Sora was frozen for a moment, before she resumed her previous emotionless stance. "…" And then, in less than a second, she burst into tears. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being mean to you! P-please don't hate me!"

"And like that she's back to her pathetic self." Jude muttered.

It seemed that she managed to hear him. "That's…right…I'm pathetic." She was rubbing at her eyes, sniffling and hiccupping. "So... pathetic…"

Nathaniel had a sour look on his face, turning away from the crying girl. "That is just… something…"

Diana glared over at the Escapist. "Hey, don't you have something better to do than bullying her? We need to find the killer! One of you assholes decided to kill Keiichi, even when we swore to not murder anyone… I won't forgive anyone who broke the promise!"

Amane nodded. "Valentine's right. We need to find the killer and bring justice to Yoshikazu-kun."

_That's right, we have to find justice for Yoshikazu-kun. For our lives, for our futures, for everything we have yet to experience. We have to do this, and maybe put a stop to this Mutual Killing once and for all!_

Straightening her pose, Auruka took a deep breath, and pumped herself up for this Class Trial. "Well then, let's get this started."

* * *

**COURT IS NOW IN SESSION**

Kanade, who still looked a bit shaken from Sora's outburst, started the trial with something important. "Umm…I know it sounds like a hassle, but can we at least start with an explanation of what happened?"

Kousuke nodded. "Yeah, I don't think any of us had much of a proper explanation." A few of the others, seemed to agree.

"Well okay." Diana took the stand, as she started to explain. "So it started when Auruka and I went to go to the Monokuma Mall."

Auruka decided to lend a hand. "While we were on the road to it, Diana stopped because she heard something. I believe it was the alarms from the mall. She started to head towards the mall and I followed, and we then saw Beckett-kun coming out in a hurry."

"Yeah. I actually arrived at the mall a little bit before you guys." Jude said. "Say, less than maybe a few minutes before? When I entered, I immediately noticed the smell of something burning." He looked a bit uncomfortable as he recalled the incident.

"I saw that those two," He pointed over at Kanade and Kousuke. "Were on the floor, and I immediately assumed they were dead, but then I found that Yoshikazu was lying in the glass farther ahead, bleeding, and immediately high-tailed it out of there. That's when I ran into you two gals."

"You didn't see anyone else in the mall though, right?" Akihisa asked, almost glaring.

Jude was sweating, before saying nervously "N…Nope."

"Well, it appears that we aren't get an easy answer out of this." Mandy said. "This is even more complicated since this is during the day. Why don't we just skip this part and focus on something else?" She gave one of her unusual smiles, and seemed to wish to change the subject matter.

Auruka didn't really have much of an objection; maybe with what they find out, they could uncover more clues. "With what we gathered, maybe we should cover the murder weapon. Just to get a clear idea on what killed him."

**( )Monokuma File**

**( )Keiichi's Bag**

"The murder weapon?" Nathaniel asked. "You mean you found it?"

Kousuke laughed. "I forget. What was it again?"

"Duh! It was obviously the baseball bat." Diana said. "**Kaishi was the one who found it**."

"…Wrong…" Sora muttered, to no one but herself.

"So the weapon was obviously **the bat that killed him**." Miki said.

Isamu tried to give a theory. "Then they blitzed attacked him from behind?!"

"I'm not so sure it was a blitz attack." Amane added.

"…Wrong."

Diana made a swinging motion with her arms. "Then, they greeted him and then- surprise! - killed him."

"Wrong."

_No, there was something else..! Something mentioned about his death._

** (X)Monokuma File** "So the weapon was obviously **the bat that killed him**!"

"_No that's wrong!"_

"No, I don't think the bat was responsible for Yoshikazu-kun's death." As Auruka was about to mention the evidence, a large TV screen descended from the ceiling, seemingly out of nowhere. It flashed on to show a close-up of the Monokuma File. Auruka ignore it and pressed on. "Didn't the Monokuma File said that he died because he bled to death?"

Diana looked over at the screen. "The Monokuma File…" Then, she slapped her forehead with her palm. "Oh yeah, it mentioned that he had a bruise on his head."

"But it also mentioned how he had his throat cut." Akihisa said. "In fact, it even said he suffered massive blood loss." He felt his body stiffen when Sora began to cry again.

Auruka tried to clear her head. "And we now know what the weapon was…"

_The only explainable weapon would have to be…_

**( )The baseball bat**

**( )The floor**

** (X)The broken glass**

**( )The giant statue**

"When Yoshikazu-kun died, it was because of his throat being sliced open, and the only weapon that could have done it would have to be the broken glass!"

Isamu looked dumbfounded. "The weapon…is broken glass..?"

"That's right." Mandy said. "From the state of the body, Keiichi had his throat sliced open; he crashed through the glass window and cut his throat from the broken glass." She smiled, but only for a moment, as Sora was staring at her. "That would imply that the real weapon was the broken glass."

"So even though the bat was used to attack Yoshikazu, it was because the glass was broken, and that's what killed him…?" Nathaniel asked.

Auruka nodded.

Akihisa looked over at Auruka. "By the way, how did you guys figure out that the weapon was a bat?"

Kaishi spoke up. "It was in Punk Leon, hidden in a bag that belonged to Yoshikazu-kun." He shook his head. "If the killer really wanted to hide it, they should have just hidden it with all the other bats in the store."

Sora froze, but it was unnoticed by most. "…!"

Kanade clicked her tongue. "Maybe they just panicked? Other than that, we at least determined the weapon."

"Glass is sharp." Said Mandy. "Broken glass is deadly. With the proper amount of force, well, you can probably imagine the rest."

"You are all kinds of creepy." Jude chuckled.

"I prefer the term 'Nice'."

Amane took a glance at the Brainiac, turning away from her. "Alright so we figured out that Yoshikazu was attacked by a bat, he crashed through the glass, and died."

Isamu sighed. "It sounds ridiculous, but when you think about, it does seem to make sense: when you swing the bat, especially a _metal _bat, the momentum from it would be strong enough to break glass."

Diana tried to visualize and describe. "So when the killer attacked Yoshikazu-kun, the bat didn't just managed to hit him, but also the glass window?"

"Hitting glass with a bat plus the weight of someone falling on it does seem like the plausible answer." Miki put her head down. "It was only by a coincidence that he had his throat lacerated by one of its shards."

"So the killer just had a happy accident?" Kousuke looked down at his feet defectively. "Not cool."

Miki nodded. "I agree, none of this is cool."

"…"

Kaishi crossed his arms, looking almost tired. "Okay, so we managed to rule out the weapon used in the murder. That still doesn't even help in the slightest; like with Yomohiro-kun's murder, anyone of us can use a bat." He made an excellent point; it was possible that anyone could be the killer. That only made a few students give others a glance, whether in fear or apprehension.

Mandy, however, only gave a small laugh. "True, which is why I want to talk about the motive."

"The motive?" Auruka asked. "You think the killer did Yoshikazu in because of the motive?" In actuality, it was possible, she thought. The motive was definitely the only explanation for the murder.

Kanade tilted her head, looking a bit nervous. "It does seem to be the only explanation at the moment. But I don't think any of us knew whose secret Yoshikazu-kun carried."

"So then, if we figure out whose secret Yoshikazu-kun had," Kaishi said. "Then we can figure out who killed him!"

Jude looked appalled. "You're not suggesting… a body search!?"

"I'm not sure it gonna be that easy." Kousuke was looking a bit distracted, as it appeared that he was playing with a plastic spool. "Ikeda-san didn't find anything from Yoshikazu-kun's pockets."

The court room was silent, as everyone just comprehended what Kousuke just said. He didn't even notice until Nathaniel tapped him on his shoulder. "What?"

Immediately, all eyes turned towards Amane, who lolled just as surprised. "Huh?"

"You actually… went through his pockets?!" Jude tried to get as far away as possible from Amane, but only managed to hit back on Monokuma's and Mononeko's throne.

Amane didn't seem to care much about his performance, and said "Yes. I noticed that no one else had, so I decided to see if he had any evidence on his body. Sadly, I didn't find anything on him. It's most likely that the killer had already taken the paper from Yoshikazu after killing him."

"Ehehehe."

Amane's eyes narrowed, glaring at the giggling Brainiac. "What are you so happy about?"

Mandy responded by sticking out her tongue. "You know why, I know why. Everyone here knows why, so why don't we just cut to the middleman?"

Cut to the middleman? She must mean…

**( )The Motive**

**( )The Budding Romance between the Two**

** (X)Mandy's List**

**( )The Six in the Mall**

"You're talking about your list, right? The one you mentioned early this morning."

"Correct. I knew that something like this happened, so that's why I had this prepared in advanced." From out of her shirt, she pulled out a folded piece of paper. "And I'm sure my little subjects have their lists taken away from them, right?" Hey eyes flickered over to two young men.

Akihisa gritted his teeth. "How did you…?"

"Yeah. Sorry Mandy-chan." Kousuke apologized.

Kanade was shocked. "Wait, you gave the list to Akihisa-san and Kurosawa-kun? But wait, didn't that mean you were playing dumb this morning?" That's right. Akihisa was the one who immediately called out on Mandy with her list.

The Swordsman gave his answer. "I wouldn't call it playing dumb. But she and I both had no need to kill anyone, so that's why she entrusted me with her copy of the list."

Mandy was beaming with joy. "And I also made sure to give an extra copy to someone who I could trust. Someone who wouldn't betray me because they were oh so loyal." Her expression died as she sighed. "So I settled on Kousuke when I found no one of that caliber."

"That's right!" He agreed, before fully comprehending. "Wait…"

"Okay, so you have the list then. Can you show it to us so we can end this quickly?" Kaishi looked exhausted from Mandy's constant attitude. "I know I'm not the only one here who wants to be done with this."

Mandy however, enjoyed this. "I would, but I seem to be deserving of something first." She paused, as if in deep thought. Everyone waited for her response, before she said, "All I ask is that 007 say that she requires my help. Oh, and to say 'pretty please' with that as well."

Most, if not all, of the group were silent. "…What."

Diana made a face. "Welp, we're screwed."

"Oh my!" Mononeko exclaimed as she jumped up from her throne. "It appears that we've reached yet another flag! I didn't know that a game like this had girl x girl action!"

Monokuma, who was still sitting, waved his paw. "Eh, I'm pretty sure the producers wouldn't allow that- you know how uptight they are with restrictions on stuff like that. But I'm pretty sure murder is still okay with them."

"Will you two just shut up?" Kaishi growled. "You're so annoying!"

The Brainiac didn't pay much mind as she was leering at the Spy. "I'm waiting 007." The mentioned Spy was silent, her arms crossed. "Or do you not really want to solve the case?"

Auruka was about to say something, but-

"…Fine."

Mandy smiled, before her eyes opened wide and she frowned. "What?" Gone was her usual playful attitude, replaced by a blank face.

"I said, fine." Amane looked Mandy in the eye as she said those three words. The Brainiac (and most of the courtroom) were stunned.

Auruka craned her head to Amane. "Ikeda-san, you're not really-"

Amane stopped her with a raised hand. "It's not like it's a big deal." She gave the Defense Attorney a simple smile, and immediately turned to Mandy with a straight face. "So, are you ready?"

Mandy was still in a moment of surprise. "Wait, what? You're actually…I mean, of course you should!" She straightened her posture, regaining her appearance. "It's the only way you can solve this case, because you need my help. Let's see you beg!"

A few of the students looked uneasy at Mandy's attitude. Exactly why was she doing this to Amane, if not for the purpose of looking like a major villain?

Amane closed her eyes for a moment, before she said "Mandy." In an almost friendly tone, alongside a sincere smile.

"Ghk!" It seemed to hit the mark, as it shot directly right into the shriveled existence that was Mandy's heart. She looked near constipated as she answered "…Yes?"

Then, in an almost mesmerizing sight, the blonde girl had placed her hands behind her back, cleared her throat, and said in an almost sweet and charismatic voice "I ask you, can you pretty please show us your list so that we can help figure out the killer, Mandy-chan?" She even gave a set of puppy eyes to boot.

Auruka was speechless. As was everyone else.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…Heh…" All eyes immediately came towards the Brainiac, her face breaking into something unusual. "Hehe…" It sounded like she was going to giggle, but something wasn't right.

"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahaha!" She was in a fit of laughter as she then clutched her stomach. This trial was starting to get weirder and weirder with each passing second. There were tears welling up in Mandy's eyes and soon her glasses started to fall of the bridge of her nose, but she didn't seem to notice. "Oh my God, I never thought I would live long enough for something like that! Pfft! Ahahahahaha!"

Both Kanade and Nathaniel were inching away from the laughing girl, while Jude exclaimed "This is getting too crazy!"

It was almost a minute of pure laughter, before it began to die down. Mandy started taking a couple breaths, before she fixed herself up. She was still chuckling as she pushed her glasses up. "Forgive me, I let my emotions get the best of me. Pfffft! Sorry, sorry." Looking over at Amane with an utmost glee, she unfolded the paper in her hands. "Well then, here." Illuminated on the screen was the list she had, showcasing all the information she had collected.

* * *

**Me- Sora**

**Sora- Keiichi**

**Amane- Auruka**

**Auruka- Amane**

**Kousuke- Kanade**

**Kanade-**

**Keiichi- **

**Akihisa- Nathaniel**

**Kaishi- **

**Miki- Kaishi**

**Isamu- **

**Jude- Miki**

**Diana- **

**Nathaniel-**

* * *

Kanade was amazed at Mandy's research. "So you managed to find out over half of the group. That's amazing…!"

Mandy shrugged her shoulder. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. A few were because you guys yelled them out in public, and two were pay dirt from them." She pointed over at the two boys that were part of her plan. "But the others were a challenge, and I enjoyed that thoroughly."

Kaishi looked over the list, before he muttered "Yeah, but it looks like you didn't even figure out Yoshikazu-kun's other secret." Alongside a few others, Mandy had not managed to crack them.

"Maybe so, but I think we may have found the solution to that." Diana pointed at the six blank areas. "If we find out who had whose secret, then we can determine who the killer is."

"…"

Kanade paid no mind to Sora's constant silence. "It sounds like out best option right now. Okay, so in order to make sure no one worries over whose secret is exposed, let's just read the names."

Auruka agreed with that idea. "That sound like the best solution. Okay, so everyone bring out your secrets! And I mean everyone. Just to make sure no one's hiding anything." And like that, she and the others started to reach into various pockets to take out the secrets they were given. However, a few were having some difficulty.

"Wait…W-Where is it?"

"It's gone…! The paper I had is gone!"

"Wha-Wha-What?!"

"You're not pulling our leg, are you?"

"I swear, I had it with me! I'm not lying."

"No way, it's obviously some kind of play they're putting on! One of them is definitely the killer!"

"It is possible that they are lying. Does this call for discussion?"

** ( )Kaishi's Testimony**

**( )The Small Fire**

** ( )Keiichi's Bag**

** ( )The Broken Elevator**

"Just admit it, one of you is the murderer!"

"Th-That's not…"

"It's possible that they're hiding their secrets, so as to trick us."

"Or it's possible that they're **misplaced.**"

"Maybe **one of them **is actually hiding allof the stolen secrets?"

"It's obvious enough. No way would anyone keep them apart them! The killer kept them!"

"So we know that the killer **couldn't get rid of them**!"

"So if we figure out who's carrying the secrets…?"

"Then we got our killer!"

_No, the only reason was found earlier. Near the body!_

** (X)The Small Fire **"So we know that the killer **couldn't get rid of them**!"

"No that's wrong!"

Auruka waved over at Diana and pulled out her ElectroID. "I think we may already know the whereabouts of the secrets." Catching on to what she meant, Diana pulled it out and then the monitor displayed her photo she had taken. "See, there was a fire at the mall, right near where Yoshikazu-kun's body was found."

"It was apparently caused in a trash can," Diana explained. "And was apparently made by what appears to be a lighter." She pointed at the misshapen piece of plastic.

"Wait, I think I've seen that lighter before." Kaishi said. In the supermarket near the center, I found that it had lighters by the counter."

"The killer probably took a lighter from the supermarket." Amane pointed out. "Maybe sometime earlier before the murder. That would imply that they had this planned."

"So then the killer had taken the secrets we had and put them in the trash can, starting the fire." Kanade shuffled her feet. "Why?"

Amane was about to answer, but Mandy beat her to it. "I'll answer your question with a question: Do you remember whose secret you had?"

Kanade blinked, but then tried to recall what she was asked. She shook her head. "…Not really. I actually didn't read the name I had, mostly because I was worried over whose secret I had. I felt that if I read them, then the person would know I read it…"

Nathaniel agreed. "Same with me, but I did so to respect their privacy."

Diana had an idea. "Let's see, raise your hand if your secret and the other person's is gone?" a show of hands raised up and Diana began counting. "One, two… five people." Auruka and the others found the five hands belonged to Kousuke, Akihisa, Nathaniel, Kanade, and Sora.

Mandy was the first to voice the coincidence. "And look, if that isn't suspicious enough, it appears the only people missing them are the ones that were found unconscious at the crime scene."

"So then, if the fire was caused by the secrets we were all given," Kousuke said. "That means the only people here that don't have their secrets or someone else's were all in the Monokuma Mall!"

"We just said that…" Kaishi muttered.

"Maybe it was just a way to tie up loose ends." Auruka scratched her head as she tried putting all the information together. "The killer didn't just get rid of evidence of their identity, but also the identities of five potential suspects! Finding the list that Futonomi-kun and Kurosawa-kun was simply the icing on the cake!"

Kaishi's forehead scrunched up. "So if you guys don't know whose secrets you carried, and they were actually burned…"

Kanade paled. "Then we have no chance of finding out whose secret Yoshikazu-kun had!?"

The entire courtroom, save for a few felt their blood run cold. Even with Mandy's near perfect list, the only people who weren't in it wouldn't be able to help; they couldn't even try with their secrets now gone. Their chances of solving this case have drastically decreased!

Jude didn't want to accept, and looked over at the list once more. "Well from the list, we only managed to know the other secrets carried by Kurosawa, Sora, and Futonomi." The rest of the students paused, now listening to the escapist. "That just leaves Maiyuri, Yoshikazu, and Nathaniel as unknown, besides Diana, Minobe, and Morita."

"…"

Mandy pushed her glasses up. "It seems that those three must deliver the names they carried, so as to help us to figure out whose secrets remain."

Diana looked over at the others, as she pulled out her secret and a certain others from underneath her shirt. "Let's see them then. Come on boys, let's whip them out!" She flipped the paper over to show Mandy's name.

That immediately caught Mandy's attention. "Ah, so you had mine. And from what I can understand, you opened it." The paper was folded differently, a hint of writing in its flaps. Diana could feel herself blush as guilt settled in her stomach.

"…Sorry." Mandy simply nodded and moved on. Alongside that, Kaishi had revealed to be carrying Kousuke's and Isamu had Diana's. Neither appeared to have been tampered, so it was apparent that neither had read them.

Auruka bit her lip as she figured out the remaining names. "So Morita-kun had Kurosawa-kun's, Minobe-kun had Diana's, and Diana had Dimuc-chan's. So if we add them to the list, then the only people left are…"

"Akihisa, Jude, and Isamu." Said Mandy, who then smiled. "Considering how Akihisa was found passed out, then that would mean that you two are the main suspects." She glared over at the two, her playful tone no longer playful. "Which means that we may have just solved the case."

"Beckett-kun or Minobe-kun could have done it?" Kanade tried to get as far from Jude and nervously glanced at Isamu. The two boys were busy being in a panic.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Isamu exclaimed.

Jude however, tried to sound calm. "H-Hold one! I'm not the killer. Besides, I have an alibi that those two can vouch for." He looked over at Diana and Auruka for support, but it seemed to be the opposite.

"All I heard was that they saw you coming out of the mall." Amane seemed to buy into the theory that the either if the two were the potential killer. She scoffed. "You could have easily lied to us, spending your time disposing the evidence, creating your own cat box in order to fool us, and then wait for the right moment to create an alibi."

Jude growled. "Oy, you shut it!" But covered his mouth at the realization.

Mandy peered over at the Good Luck, as he began sweating. "On the other hand, the killer may have been you. You killed Yoshikazu, disposed of the evidence, and possibly hid somewhere." Without breaking away from her gaze, she asked Auruka, "Tell me, did you two ever saw us enter the mall?" She didn't even wait for an answer. "That's right, you were behind the statue."

Auruka nodded, a bitter taste in her mouth. "We didn't even see you guys or notice you were there until we heard your footsteps and voices."

"So then, he could have hidden in the mall, waiting for everyone to arrive, and then joined the group." Isamu gripped his podium in fear, while Jude was gritting his teeth.

Kousuke looked over at the two. "It's possible for either to have done it, but we have to figure out which one! One of you better come clean right now!" And then, the courtroom erupted in a flurry of arguments.

**( )Kaishi's Testimony **

**( )Mandy's Testimony**

**( )Amane's Testimony**

"I'm not the killer!" "I didn't kill Yoshikazu-kun!" Jude retorted/Isamu exclaimed in panic.

"We can't figure it out unless one of you gives us an alibi." "Just try to cover your asses." Kanade/Diana said in accusing tones.

"I already did!" "I was in my room!" They both cried.

"Liar! There's **no one **to back you up!" "**You could have lied** about when you arrived!" Both Kaishi and Kousuke pointed fingers at the boys.

"Let me explain!" "I'm telling the truth...!" Jude was growing red in the face, while Isamu was close to breaking down in tears.

"It's obvious that you killed Yoshikazu-kun **with the glass**." "There's no way you **got that scared**!" Amane was calm, while Diana was full of energy.

"I'm innocent, can't you get it, you twits!?" "Just calm down now!" Jude was getting offended, Isamu being defensive.

"You probably** took the lighter**, earlier…" "Maybe, you **attacked the others** in some manner…" Amane and Mandy tried to give their argument amidst the madness.

"Just give me a chance…!" "This is too much…!" It seemed the two were close to shutting down from this mess they were in.

Miki was by far, the calmest in the group. "I am having a hard time trying to comprehend this chaos."

_The only way is too find the contradiction. There's only one person that can do that._

** (X)Kaishi's Testimony** "There's **no one **to back you up!"

"No that's wrong!"

The students stopped what they were doing as Auruka exclaimed her accusation. "There's someone who can definitely prove the innocence of one of the guys." She looked over across to the Water Polo Player. "Morita-kun, you had an alibi for Minobe-kun, as he does for you. You both saw each other before the murder!"

Kaishi looked a bit stunned being in the spotlight, but regained his composure. "I did? No wait, wait I did! I did see him after Beckett-kun started screaming about the murder!"

"I-I wasn't screaming." Jude muttered in a low tone, almost pouting.

Kaishi explained. "When we heard the commotion, Miki-chan and I came out of the apartments, and I noticed that Minobe-kun was ahead of us."

Auruka nodded, seeing the students either surprised or dumbfounded. "If Minobe-kun really was the killer, then it would be impossible for him to kill Yoshikazu-kun, dispose of the evidence, and be seen in the square with the others. He would have to go through the road, and meet up with not only Beckett-kun, but Diana and myself. Therefore, there's no way he's the killer!"

The chaos that had enveloped the courtroom had finally dissipated, and Isamu looked over at auruka with relief. "Finally. Thanks Auruka-chan, you really just saved my ass there."

Kousuke jumped, recalling what Kaishi had mentioned. "Wait, did you say you were with Okazaki-chan?" he turned to the seamstress. LIs that why you didn't want to hang out with me?"

Mononeko squealed in joy. "Maybe they were doing something inappropriate~? What do you think, big bro, did we catch some raunchy R-18 action going on?"

Monokuma waved his paw. "Pssh! Sorry sis, but nothing like was captured. All those two did was talk, talk, talk, talk, TALK!"

Kaishi rolled his eyes, and sighed. "Yeah, that's all we did. From the list you can see that Miki-chan had my secret, so I wanted to talk over it with her. And from there, we actually talked about her secret as well."

Amane was in awe, as she said "Then, you two just wanted to get this whole secret business over with. You conversed with one another in a dignified manner and made the power that Monokuma and Mononeko had disperse." She placed her hand beneath her chin, and muttered "If only…"

"Too bad, go to jail, lose a turn. The past is in the past, and we're in the now." Mandy simply wished to move on, already growing bored with the trial. "Enough with your pity, 007. Since we have just proven the innocence of one, then I suggest we move on. We already had enough of-"

"Why though…?"

"Huh?" It seemed that Isamu wasn't quite done, now looking more forlorn than he did a minute ago. His head was hanging low as he crossed his arms. For some reason, that caught Sora's attention.

Mandy sighed. "Sighhhhhh."

"Why would you guys think I did something like that?" Isamu took a glance over at Sora before he continued. "I mean, yeah it could have been possible, what with how the last trial played out…" auruka crimped at that memory. "But why would I…Why would I kill the guy who gave me the courage I desperately needed!?" Only after he screamed that last word did a few tears began to fall.

"…Courage..?"

Kanade immediately turned her attention to the one who whispered. "Imayoshi-san! You spoke for the first time!"

Amane didn't know what to say. "What do you mean 'courage'?"

"…It was yesterday…"

Mandy let out a subtle "God damn it."

Isamu continued. "I honestly was at my edge, not just because of the secrets, but because of the chance someone was going to die." He let out a shallow laugh. "You see everyone, and now you think, hey that person might now see tomorrow. It was just too much! It was then that someone noticed my mental state…"

Sora whimpered. "…Kei-chan…"

Isamu nodded. "That's right. He and I met up in his room and started talking. And it was there that I revealed my secret to him." Auruka was shocked at Isamu's revelation.

"You revealed it to him? And…what are you doing?" Isamu had begun to take out something from his pants pocket, a folded photograph.

He only said "Showing everyone what my secret is."

Kanade had her hands to her chest. "Minobe-kun, you shouldn't!"

He only chuckled. "But I should. Look." He unfolded it and held it up, only for the monitor to showcase the image in a larger format. Auruka took a second to examine, and then again to make sure.

It was a candid photo, but not of anyone she knew. It was a young boy, with brown shaggy hair, and almost pudgy cheeks. He was smiling an almost innocent smile into the camera, and if Auruka could comment, she would probably call him cute. But then she did a double-take; those eyes…

Those almost fake looking blue eyes!

The others didn't seem to make the connection. "Uh, who is that?" Kaishi asked.

Isamu answered with a strong voice. "That's me. Before I changed my image during junior high."

Diana, however, didn't respond to it well. "Wh-Wha-Wha-What? That was you?" she took a closer look. "Damn, son. You took a 180 and made a 720!"

Isamu blushed, but smiled. "Yeah. Around that time, I was the kid that everyone picked on. I was tired of that usual shtick, so I had decided to forgo the weak crybaby I was, and instead take on the suave persona that you see before you." He gave a small laugh. "Of course, that didn't do much for me, but it seemed to work after I transferred schools."

Sora clutched her chest. "…! You…"

"Then you talked with Yoshikazu-kun over this?" Auruka asked, only for Isamu to nod.

"That's right. He helped me out…"

"_So there you go. That's my secret."_

"…"

_Isamu could feel his body begin to sweat as the Cheer Captain remained silent. He didn't know how much of it he could take. After what felt like years, he tried to give a laugh. "I know, I know, kind of pathetic. As the most average kid here, I got to have the most average secret."_

"…" _Keiichi said nothing._

_Isamu didn't expect much, so he decide to try to leave. "Well…I should probably-"_

"_Pathetic."_

"_What?"_

"_That's just pathetic!" Keiichi exclaimed, clearly angry at the Good Luck. "You're honestly telling me that you want to live like this!?"_

_Isamu was surprised at the other's fury, and he didn't want to make it worse. "What…"_

_Placing his hands on his hips, the Cheer Captain glared at Isamu. "Minobecchi, you have to be in immense pain from something like this, and you have the balls to say that you think it's pathetic! It's stupid, stupid, stupid!" He held up the photo that Isamu had given him, holding it right in front of Isamu's face. He pushed it right up front and made him back into the wall. "You say that you changed yourself because you were bullied and wanted to fit in? What kind of 'friends' would do that to and expect not to be the bad guys! If they were really your friends, then they should have accepted you for who you were and not force you to change. Not them, not classmates, or even everyday people. Everyone should be treated with respect and love!"_

"And then he went on and on… until he was red in the face." Isamu closed his arms as he recalled the intense response Keiichi gave him. "He was damn near exhausted, but the only thing he was concerned about was me…"

"Kei-chan…"

"He tried to push me to defend for who I was before. You honestly can't believe how long I wanted to hear those kind of words, and I didn't even realize that myself. That man gave me something I needed for a long time, something I could barely move on without. So if you guys think…" He trailed off.

"If you guys think I'm the murderer, then you got another thing coming! I would never murder Keiichi or anyone else here! Any of you who think otherwise need to have a dose of trust put right in you!"

Kanade looked confused. "For some reason, he actually seems… attractive?"

"…I trust him."

"Imayoshi-san?"

"I trust…Mu-kun…" Sora shuffled her feet, looking anywhere but at the others. "Anyone who… make friends with Kei-chan… deserves to be…trusted. He's… not the killer."

Auruka smiled, not just at Sora's declaration, but at Isamu's confidence. But something popped up in her head. "Then, if Minobe-kun isn't the killer…then that would mean…"

All eyes were on Jude. "Aw, damn it."

Amane glared over at the Escapist. "Precisely, he would be the one responsible-"

"_**It seems you require a few more brain cells!"**_ Mandy had interrupted the Spy, pointed an accusing finger at her.

"You have anything else to say to me? We're in the middle of solving this case." Mandy only smiled, showing a small amount of teeth.

"Oh, but it's clearly obvious who the true culprit is. It can't be anyone else but our dear Ikeda Amane! You're the only one who has the shakiest alibi, 007!" She exclaimed.

* * *

**CLASS TRIAL SUSPENDED**

**Read and review everybody! Also, did anyone else solve the puzzle? Here's a hint: ABC=DEF. Good Luck! And yes, I kind of took inspiration from the latest trailer for DR V3. (:**


	24. Class Trial: 2-2

**And we are back with another despair inducing part of the class trial! Hope everyone's ready for the next segment, because I know I am! I have no idea how this is even playing out, and I am on the edge of my seat! Kyahahahahahahahaha!**

**Did any of you manage to solve the puzzle? Or are you already feeling immense despair over the fact that you can't figure it out? Just remember the hint from the last chapter. Send your theories on what it means.**

* * *

**CLASS TRIAL RESUMED**

"It can't be anyone else but our dear Ikeda Amane! You're the only one who has the shakiest alibi, 007!" Mandy gave a devious grin as Amane stiffened. "Come now it's so painfully obvious. We may assume that Jude is the killer, but that would make this trial almost way to easy. So we must assume that the one with the shakiest alibi would be the murderer."

Auruka glared at the Brainiac. "And you think that it's Ikeda-san, because she was the last to arrive?"

Kaishi looked unsure of the while thing. "Just because someone was the last to arrive doesn't automatically make them suspicious. You sure that you're not just trying to drag this out?"

Mandy shook her head, before she gave another cheeky smile. She was far from being the one to drag this out, relying on her intellect to back. "No. While it does seem like a weak argument, there are a few details that we seem to be forgetting. As we know, after the body was discovered, an announcement played that it was found by the others. Everyone in the square heard it, but we had no idea where the body was until Jude came barreling from the direction of the mall. We all met up to where he was, and went off to the mall. The most important factor is that 007 didn't follow, and I checked to see if she was behind, only to not be greeted by her stunning personality."

Isamu was the first to raise his argument, realizing what she had just said. "Wait, are you saying, you did a body count?"

"Correct. I wanted to make sure who was accounted for, just in case anyone needed an alibi."

The Good Luck could feel his anger rise, but tried to quell it. "If you were keeping count, then that means you knew I was with the group in the square! Why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, well I figured that someone else would vouch for you, so I decided to not say anything." She ignored a few glares from the others and continued. "Besides, I needed my upper hand against 007, and I present it to you." She looked over at the Spy, who returned the gesture. "Now, can you please tell us where you were when the announcement rang?"

Amane scoffed. "Like I said to Micho and others, I was in the shower. I had decided to take a quick shower to unwind, and I didn't hear the announcement while I was in there. It was only after I found that everyone was gone did I head for the mall. That's why I was late."

"Enough with your damn lies. You can't fool me." Mandy's harsh tone seem to have gained more ice than before, and her face was void of her playful attitude from before.

It didn't seem to affect Amane at all. "What are you saying? It's the truth."

"Oh really? You took a shower and didn't hear the announcement? What kind of pathetic excuse is that? Do you honestly expect us to believe it while you yourself don't appear to have taken a shower?" She pointed at Amane's hair. "Why don't we sniff your hair- see if you really did wash it?" Then to her face. "Or we feel your skin and check if you moisturizer it?" Sadly, Amane seemed to react well to that, as she reached for her dry hair; she realized her mistake and pulled it away.

Diana didn't want to continue with this. "Mandy, don't you think this is getting-"

"Shut up. You're not the bad egg here Diana, _she _is." Mandy was done with this little game that Amano so desperately was playing. "She could have actually hidden in the mall, and then appeared to try to give the illusion that she arrived. You honestly expect me to believe the murderer isn't the one with years of expertise of being a killer, someone who can sneak by enemies, someone who has to constantly be shifty and distrustful?" With each declaration of evidence against her, Mandy eyes started to appear less and less of being with life. "I won't accept that she isn't the killer, and no one is going to change my mind otherwise!"

"Well I guess I have to take a shot then." Auruka had enough of this now. Amane wasn't the killer, there wasn't any proof to support that theory; after what she told her about the note from before, there were others here that were capable of this. And she was going to stop this from going on any further. She directed the attention straight to herself, and she wasn't going to stand down.

"Micho, are you sure about this?" Amane was unsure, not wanting her to be dragged into this. Auruka only nodded.

"I am. But are you?" She asked, knowing exactly what she was implying. It took less than a second for Amane to nod. "Good."

* * *

**(X) Amane's Secret**

**( ) Isamu's Testimony**

**( ) Amane's Alibi**

Seeing as how Auruka was going to take the Spy's place, Mandy began. "Amane says that she was **in the shower**…"

"But are you really serious?"

"She simply lied to us and is afraid to admit it!"

"If I was in the shower, then I would be able to know…"

"That **a body was found**, because of the announcemen**t** I would hear."

"So in layman's terms…"

"She's the killer."

It was Auruka's turn. _"That may be, but you don't really know!"_

"_She could very well have not heard the announcement!"_

"Oh, and how is that?"

"Are you saying the bathroom is that **closed off**?"

"She should have at least heard something!"

"She has no excuses for this at all!"

"There's **no reason why** she couldn't hear anything!"

**(X) Amane's Secret- **"There's **no reason why** she couldn't hear anything!"

"_That's where you're wrong!"_

* * *

Mandy was momentarily stunned at Auruka's declaration, and that gave her enough to explain. "You think that you may have it figured out, but there's another piece of information that you and everyone else don't know."

The Brainiac regained her composure, but was still pissed. "Oh, and what is this information? Don't tell me that 007 is deaf?"

"Exactly."

"…Huh?"

"Yeah, Ikeda-san's deaf. That was her secret." Auruka's eyes flickered to Amane, who gave a solemn nod to continue. "And that's why she wasn't able to hear the Body Discovery Announcement."

"Wait, is this true?!"Kousuke looked beyond shocked. "Are you really deaf?"

"Yes. It says so right here." Amane took out her paper with her secret and the monitor displayed it for everyone. The courtroom was silent for a bit, as everyone tried to comprehend the new information. Mandy was completely speechless.

Jude looked uncomfortable, gazing directly at Amane. "Odd. You don't sound deaf, you sound like how a normal person sounds like."

Diana immediately made a rude gesture with her hands. "Watch out now, you're this close to an ass whuppin'!"

"What did I say?!" Jude exclaimed, clearly not realizing his mistake.

Amane pulled Diana's fingers down. "It's alright. But it is true. I have almost little sense of hearing, and I have been for the past few years."

Kanade timidly raised a hand. "But… You're able to answer our questions, and communicate with us. How is that possible if you can't hear us?"

Amane crossed her arms, now appearing a little embarrassed with everyone's eyes on her. "I did say I had a little sense; I can pick up faint sound vibrations, although in reality they can be quite loud. Most of you don't really have much of an indoor voice. But, in the case where multiple people are talking I have this." She held out her wrist with her watch, not Monokuma's. "This watch was designed for me to take note of all conversations taking place at the time. That way, if I missed something, I could look over on what happened."

Kaishi was dumbstruck. "So you could pass off as someone that wasn't hearing-impaired? That's some government-brand tech you got there!"

"Well, it does have its benefits." She answered. "But this can help prove my innocence right? So I'm not guilty of murdering Yoshikazu."

Mandy had managed to snap out of her daze. "W-Well!"

Auruka prepared herself, just in case. "Well… What?"

"S-She…she could still be lying!" It was odd, Mandy sounded… unsure. "Who's to say that she simply forged one of the papers, and simply kept it just in case a situation like this would happen? We don't know for sure-"

"Actually, that's impossible." Monokuma said.

"Ghk-!"

Mononeko giggled. "Big bro's right. The secrets that we had given everyone are made of a specific brand of paper, in a specific brand of ink, and written in a specific brand of way."

Monokuma peered at the monitor, at Amane's secret. "From our eye, we can definitely say… That this is the real deal! Not in any way a phony whatsoever. Kyahahahahahahaha! What idiot would dare try to imitate us?"

"So then if the note's real, then that means that Ikeda-san secret is real!" Kanade didn.t know if she should feel elated or disappointed. "Which means that she really didn't hear the announcement."

Mandy gritted her teeth. "…Damnit. God damn it." If one listened close enough, they could hear grinding.

Amane continued. "I can at least still provide an alibi- even if it is shaky. I was in my room, but I didn't hear the announcement, only realizing that people were gone, did I go to the mall."

Jude grinned and scoffed at the defeated looking Mandy. "Ha ha, we showed you! It looks like you were wrong this time, how's it feel?"

"You do know that if Ikeda-san isn't the culprit, then that automatically means it's you, right?" Kaishi muttered.

"…Crap."

"…Hehe…" Auruka froze. Mandy was far from being defeated, her form shuddering. "Do you honestly think it's over because we know that she isn't the killer? Just like that?" Like a phoenix, she rose. "This isn't over, not by a long shot! I may have lost the battle, but I haven't lost the war."

Miki blinked. "You may have been proven wrong on Ikeda, but you still wish to deny the claim that Beckett is the killer? How so?"

She seemed to have regained her confidence, albeit with her line of sight anywhere but at Amane. "Well, I may have been wrong on 007, but I can clearly see that Jude isn't the killer; he's shaking in his boots about him being the culprit and he probably isn't that capable of making a murder so complex."

Akihisa cringed. "It looks like you have more to say on this…"

"And it seems like she's not letting this bring her down." Nathaniel said.

"Well, if you guys are so sure about Jude being the killer, then we must have figured out every single thing on our agenda…" She entailed off, before pushing her glasses up as a sign of dominance. "Including the way he knocked out everyone." With her words, everyone in the courtroom stopped. Monokuma and Mononeko were on the edge of their seat, fully interested in the trial.

"How he… knocked out everyone?" Kousuke asked.

"That's right. We still haven't figured out how that happened!" Mandy grinned. "We know that everyone who was in the mall was out, but we still don't know what the cause of it is."

Jude raised his hand to scratch his cheek. "Then let's just focus on that instead, and maybe just forget everything else before it…"

Kaishi narrowed his eyes. "Dude. Seriously." Auruka could feel her energy drain from her body.

Akihisa decided to continue the discussion. "So, it was obviously something that knocked us all out. We all were unconscious when we were found, and one of us was murdered during that time."

Kousuke was feeling anxious, so he took out a small plastic object. "Man, this bites." He said, as he began gnawing on it.

Isamu didn't really understand what the Tattoo Artist was doing. "Uh, Kurosawa-kun, what are you eating?"

"Is that…a spool of thread?!" Amane exclaimed, noticing the amount of bite marks on it.

He held the item in his mouth, before letting it fall into his hands. "No, it's candy. It's what I've thought I lost earlier, but then I found it." He twirled it between his hands. "Sadly, there's nothing left.

"Yet you're still eating it." Kanade muttered in a low voice.

Diana peered over the edge of her podium, getting a better look at the object. "Isn't that… the Licorice Thread that I let Auruka give you? Wow, I thought you would have eaten it way earlier."

"I was actually going to give it as a gift to Okazaki-chan, but I lost it about a while ago. But then Futonomi-kun found it for me."

Miki said "I would be fine if you gave me only the spool. I can not thread licorice."

"Really? I didn't have to worry about that?" Kousuke looked almost grateful. Was he really expecting Miki to use the candy as thread?

"Uh, how in the heck did you get such a weird thing?" Kaishi asked, as he was not one of the many people to receive a gift like that.

Diana held up her arms, making a T position. "Focus people! We're still trying to solve a murder! We need to figure out how the others were knocked out!"

Auruka bit her lip, willing her gray cells to give her the answer she needed. "Right, there has to be a reasonable explanation. Any ideas?"

**( ) The Metal Bat**

**( ) The Gun**

**( ) Sora's Body Position**

**( ) The Bloody Glass**

"There had to be a way that everyone was unconscious…" She said.

"What about the **blitz attack**?" Isamu asked.

Amane tried to think of another way. "Or maybe it was because of **the fire**?"

"Maybe there was **something unusual **that we haven't considered?" Jude said, not seeming to care.

"It's possible that we should consider maybe an alternate means…" Akihisa muttered.

"What you think it was **something we ate**?" Kousuke said jokingly.

Miki blinked. "Or maybe it was a **gas attack** that was responsible."

Kanade paled. "That sounds a bit like a terrorist attack!"

_Maybe the answer, was in front of us the whole time..!_

**(X) Something Unusual- **"What you think it was **something we ate**?"

"That has to be it!"

"Any easy way for everyone to be knocked unconscious has to be because they ate something suspicious!" If the cause would knock someone out, then that could be the most reasonable answer. "That would explain why they were all knocked out."

Kousuke was stupefied. "Wait, I was right? Awesome, I must be the Super High School Level Good Luck!"

"That's my title!" Isamu blurted out.

"The food being the cause is actually a pretty reasonable explanation." Mandy was smiling, which was never a good sign. But why?

"If the food is responsible for it… then we all must have had eaten the same thing?" Nathaniel was looking a pit pale. "What could it be?"

"Maybe it was something in our breakfast?" Jude said.

Kanade gave a theatrical gasp. "Are you accusing Imayoshi-san's cooking?" Sora didn't seem to pay much mind to Kanade's defense.

"I don't think so." Auruka's comment seemed to stop the obvious one-sided catfight. "We all had different food on our plates. And if the killer had done something to the food, then it would have to be someone who was helping in the kitchen. If I recall, Sora-chan and Maiyuri-chan were helping out, but they were both found unconscious at the murder scene."

Kousuke looked over at Defense Attorney. "Then if we are considering the food, then what exactly did we all have that knocked us out?"

"Well, if it wasn't breakfast, maybe it was the mall food?" Diana asked. "It was already prepared for us every time we go there."

Kaishi scratched his head. "Think. Is there anything you guys had in the mall? Something that everyone had?"

**( ) Breakfast **

**( ) Sora's Body Position**

**( ) The Broken Elevator**

"Well what did everyone remember having?"

"I remember that I had **a salad**." Kanade was still glaring daggers at Jude. "Plus something to drink it with."

Akihisa gave a simple reply. "I only had something to soothe my thirst. That's it."

"Come one, something to help us out!" Jude was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"…**Donut**…Orange…" Sora murmured.

Kousuke grinned. "I had some cookies, some donuts, a bit of fried tofu, some **takoyaki**, and I washed it down with-"

"I had a **smoothie**, plus one of those omelets." Nathaniel said, startling Kousuke.

Isamu clicked his tongue. "Damn it, I can't find a pattern."

Amane gritted her teeth. "Come on, there has got to be one thing that **everyone has in common**."

_There has to a connection between them. I just have to figure out what they all had that could be the cause._

**(X) Everyone has In Common- **"I had a **smoothie**, plus one of those omelets."

"That's the answer!"

"In everyone's account, they all mentioned having something to drink." At the group from the mall, Auruka asked, "Let me ask you this: would they all happen to be smoothies?"

Sora trembled, while Kanade answered. "Oh yeah, that's right. Before we all went to get something to eat, we all had smoothies; Robinson-san got us all the orange ones, because the other machine was broken. Futonomi-kun, Imayoshi-san, Yoshikazu-kun, Robinson-san, and I all had smoothies."

Kousuke raised a hand. "Same here. I got one a little bit after the others. I was disappointed that the other machine was broken."

Kanade continued. "After getting our drinks and food, Futonomi-kun wanted to look around, and we all went our separate ways in the mall. Just to shop around." That explained why everyone was scattered.

"So the smoothies were what knocked you out?" Kaishi was outright terrified. "That's some Sci-Fi paranormal shit!"

Something didn't seem right to Amane. "Why was the other machine broken? Did anyone else look at it?"

One hand rose, but sadly, it belonged to a certain individual. "Yes, I had a theory on the smoothie after I noticed that Kurosawa had a spilled drink next to him." Mandy pointed at the dried orange stain on Kousuke's clothes. "So I decided to investigate the machine, proving that the smoothies had to be connected to the murder."

The Water Polo Player felt his temper rising. "And you're just now telling us, why?"

"I just didn't feel like talking at the moment. Anyway, I checked the machine to see if I was correct. What I found was simple enough."

Auruka felt her eye twitch, but ignored it. "So, the killer tampered with the other smoothie machine?"

Mandy shook her head. "No. They only pulled the plug. The killer had gotten behind the machine and just… pulled the plug. I honestly don't know how any of you wouldn't have known that."

Amane pinched the bridge of her nose. "That still doesn't explain how the others were knocked out; I remember having an orange smoothie the day before, and I was perfectly fine."

Kanade looked troubled. "So then, how exactly did the smoothies knock everyone out?"

_The only explanation for that would be…_

**( ) Their Expiration Date**

**(X) A Drug Was Added**

**( ) Everyone Was Sick**

"The only reasonable answer would be that a drug was added to the smoothies, a drug that would knock out everyone."

Akihisa froze. "A…drug? Someone drugged us?"

Diana was horrified, covering her mouth. "That's totally messed up! It's close enough to be a date rape!"

"So, if the killer had drugged us, then exactly how would they?" Nathaniel closed his eyes. "I mean, do we even know what kind of drug was used?"

Kousuke shifted. "It had to be something digestible, something that we could eat, or drink, and would be able to knock someone out."

This was as far as Mandy's theory went, so she tried to lend a hand. "So, we can at least accept that the drug was like a sleep drug. If it had to be in the smoothie, then it would probably be either powder, pills, maybe even a gel? Does that seem to help?"

"Well, maybe there was something in the medicine store?" Isamu recalled how much inventory that pave had. "I noticed that it was full of over the counter drugs and junk."

Amane crossed her arms. "That may be, but we still don't have much of a clear clue of the drug."

"Hey, why don't we do that thing we did before- look back on the case and see if we missed anything." Jude was clearly trying to help as he voiced his opinion. "It helped the last time." He did raise a valid point; their previous attempt had managed to reveal new evidence.

Auruka felt a slight pain in her heart over the discussions usage in that last class trial. "Okay. So the killer had used a drug on the smoothie machine, making sure to stop one for some unknown reason…"

As she started the discussion, the monitor above them showcased pictures taken during the investigation. First, was a photo of the smoothie machine, obviously taken by Mandy. The one with strawberry was only full of red creamy liquid, while the one with orange was thick and bright orange.

Amane took over. "Everyone in the mall had taken one of the smoothies, knocking them out." Another picture, the spilled smoothie near Kousuke.

The next photo was Keiichi's corpse. "The killer had attacked Yoshikazu-kun, killed him, and then decided to destroy evidence." Kaishi glanced over at Sora, who was still as a statue.

Mandy continued. "They managed to get to everyone, and took the secrets we were all given, including the lists I had given to Futonomi and Kurosawa." The next was the trashcan used. "Then they made a fire, and burned the secrets, so as to destroy any chance of us easily solving this case."

Kanade didn't seem to notice Sora's statue imitation. "The killer would have also needed to try to get rid of the murder weapon- the bat- and so they put it in Yoshikazu-kun's bag, and tried to hide it."

A photo of the bag came up, alongside pictures of a few items inside, including the bat. "And if anyone doesn't believe it isn't Yoshikazu's bag, there was some cheering stuff, like flags and pom-poms in it. Alongside the bat, there were also some another piece of evidence- a little piece of cardboard." For some reason, Diana left out the part about the photo of Keiichi and Sora, both in the discussion and in the slideshow.

"Then, the killer must have either hidden in the mall… or maybe…?" Amane was about to continue, but stopped as she noticed something from one of the previous pictures. "Hey, can I take a look at the bat?"

Diana looked confused. "Huh? Why?"

"I noticed something on it when I was inspecting it. May we take another look at it?" The monitor flipped back to the picture of the bat. It was sideways, showing the bottom and the part where Keiichi was hit.

Amane had definitely found something, but Jude didn't seem to. "Well, it definitely looks like an ordinary bat. Just like the ones in Punk Leon."

"No, there's something else- look." She pointed at the bottom of the bat, and immediately the image was magnified. "It appears to be a sticker on the bottom of it, just a bit scratched off."

"Oh, I do see it!" Auruka was right, there was something at the bottom. A small gold sticker, with the edges on both sides scratched. "But I don't think I have any idea what it's supposed to be…a triangle?"

Kaishi felt like he'd seen the sticker before, but he couldn't remember where. "But I don't think I've seen any of the other bats with that sticker. I'm definitely sure of that."

"You think it was like a special bat, like how you get a free popsicle from a marked stick?" Isamu sighed as he remembered those days. "I was never lucky to get one of those."

"Well, it does seem to be of some importance." Mandy said. "So we should probably remember it."

**Evidence Updated- The Sticker Underneath the Baseball Bat**

"Now, that may be helpful in some way, but I want to take a closer look at that other piece of evidence." Mandy looked over at the photo of the bag contents. "Why did the victim have something like a piece of cardboard in his bag?" She answered her own question. "The only answer would be that it was left behind by the killer."

"Why would the killer have something so insignificant?" Isamu asked. "There has to be a reasonable explanation for that."

_The most logical answer for that is…_

**( ) The Killer Is a Hoarder**

**( ) It Holds Sentimental Value**

**(X) Because It Must Be Connected To the Drug**

"The piece of cardboard has to be in some way responsible for the drug, that's got to be it. If it's from the medicine store, then it had to come in a box or case. The killer must have tried to get rid of the evidence, probably in the fire."

Amane agreed with Auruka's claim. "They may have succeeded in destroying most of the evidence, but it's possible that this scrap survived, only to cling onto the killer. It probably fell into the bag as they tried to hide it."

Jude was a bit skeptical. "So the scrap is connected to the drug, which we have no idea of knowing what it was. But we do agree that the drug may have come from the medicine store, which itself has a whole bunch of random drugs and herbs."

Kousuke had his tongue out as he was in deep thought. "The drug had to have been something that we could eat without noticing it… because I noticed that the smoothie didn't taste as different as the last time I had it."

Kanade clasped her hand together. "Oh, I think Kurosawa-kun's right. The smoothie tasted pretty normal for me."

"So not only is the drug digestible, but it's also tasteless…"

Diana froze at Kaishi's assumption. "Tasteless…? Wait a second…"

Auruka caught note of it. "You remember something?"

Nervously, the Street Performer replied. "A couple days ago, I remember talking with Sora and Nathaniel in the medicine store. Then we started talking about a packet of medicine that Nathaniel found- Mr. Sleepy Time!"

"Mister Sleepy Time?!"

Miki corrected Akihisa's mistake. "No, I believe she said, Mr. Sleepy Time."

"What the heck is Mr. Sleepy Time?" Mandy asked.

"It a sleep medication pill, and when ingested, can induce drowsiness, or sleepiness." Diana grew more restless as she described the other facts. "It's in a small little box, and is in a bright orange color. Another fact: this pill can be put in food or drink, and tastes like nothing."

"A bright orange pill that can be ingested and cause sleep?" Mandy smiled. "That sounds about right to what we're looking for."

Amane turned to Diana. "Well then, if we were to look at the scrap, would you be able to see if it belongs to the box you saw earlier?"

Diana gave a thorough look at the scrap, trying to recall the box that Nathaniel had in his hands. "Looking at it more clearly, I can definitely say that the scrap belonged to the box!"

Mandy clapped, clearly happy. "Well, it appears we may have found our drug."

Auruka groaned at the Brainiac's actions. "It does seem to make the most sense. And it does seem to explain a few other items, like the machine being busted."

Nathaniel seemed to catch on what she was implying. "The killer had only made the orange smoothie keep working, because then nobody would even noticed a pill in a drink that was the same color as it! We wouldn't even know that we were being drugged as we drank it."

"If the pill had dissolved in the other smoothie, which was strawberry, then we would be able to see it once it mixed in with the drink." Kanade noted.

Jude didn't look satisfied. "Okay, so we figured out the drug that was used in the murder was the pill, but we still don't have any idea who could have drug everyone."

Auruka was about to say something, but something flashed in her memory. "…No. We do know."

Mandy giggled. "Ah, it seems we both have reached the same answer, am I right?"

Akihisa was surprised. "What? You know who did it?"

_From the evidence given, I know who it is! The one who drugged everyone is…_

She looked at the perpetrator in the eye, and exclaimed "You're the only one!"

She glared at the Super High School Level Fencer. "Robinson-san, you were the one who drugged everyone, correct?"

"Ngh!" Nathaniel was caught, as he scowled at the Defense Attorney.

Jude was the first to react. "Nathaniel is the killer?!"

Mandy shook her head, clearly done with the Escapist. "No. I think we're looking at this from a different angle. It's not that he's the killer..."

"But it is possible that he drugged the others." Auruka remembered that he, like the others, were passed out. "Maiyuri-chan mentioned how Robinson-san gave them the drinks that were drugged. From Diana's account, she talked about Mr. Sleepy Time with Sora _and _Nathaniel!"

He seemed to relax for an unknown reason, but he was still scowling. "Hmph."

Kanade tried to poke holes, not understanding that Nathaniel would do something like this. "If that's the case, then why would he also take one of the drinks- I definitely remember that he had drank almost half of it."

Amane retorted. "It's possible that he must have had a dummy drink- a smoothie that wasn't drugged, so that he would be able to move about while everyone else was asleep. So, he had a smoothie that wasn't drugged from the start, so that he wouldn't be considered suspicious from the very beginning."

Jude, who was clearly celebrating that he was no longer being outer as the killer, laughed. "W-Well! What do you have to say about that, Nathaniel?"

"I won't deny it. I was the one who drugged the group."

"Wow, he doesn't deny it!" Diana exclaimed. Everyone turned to the Fencer, who stiffened at the spotlight on him. He was the one who drugged the others? Was he actually capable… of murder?

Kousuke was shocked as well, clearly expecting some argument. "So you admit it? You're the one that drugged us? How could you..?"

"It was…supposed to be gentle." Nathaniel muttered, almost childlike.

"What?"

He looked down at his feet, like a guilty child. "I was… going to make sure that no one had felt anything. Once the Pastry Chef… told me about the medicine, I remembered how I would use it when my mom worked late hours… So I decided to implement it in my plan." The entire courtroom was silent, not expecting this kind of personality from a guy whose own presence scarred little girls.

Auruka could feel the hostility in her start to die. "You unplugged the other smoothie machine so that everyone would use the orange flavor." Nathaniel nodded. "You must have prepared the dummy drink earlier, and then once you had done your murder, you would pretend to be knocked out like the rest of the others." He nodded once more.

"That's right. So, that's what my plan was… Sorry."

Isamu had his mouth opened. "He's… apologizing..?"

"…"

"What the Hell? What the Hell?" Kaishi didn't know what to make of this.

Jude, however, saw his chance. "Let's just vote now; we know who the culprit is, so we should go to the voting process, right?"

"We're not done yet. We still don't know who the killer is."

He cringe at Mandy's declaration. "What? But we just-"

"We only know who drugged the group, but we don't know who killed Yoshikazu." Isamu was amazed he was joining up with Mandy. "When we were checking on Robinson-san, Dimuc-chan and I found that he was unconscious. She even pulled at his cheeks for a minute…"

A few eyes turned to her. "I had to make sure."

"Also, if what Nathaniel said is true, then he wanted to cause a painless death." Diana said. "Yoshikazu was killed by having his head hit by a bat, knocking into glass, and bleeding to death. And… if you all saw his body, then you'd see that he was killed when he was awake- his eyes were opened."

Kousuke felt a bit green, for once the food in him was fighting back. "Oh god, that's disturbing."

"But why would Nathaniel be unconscious?" Mandy asked. "Did he accidently drank one of the others smoothies?"

"Not that I recall." He said. "I only had my drink."

Kaishi scoffed. "So then what, you think he might have drugged his own drink? That's a bit of a stretch…"

Kanade tried to remember the incident. "Let's see…I remember that he brought out our drinks, we chatted a bit, and there was a little noise-"

"A noise?"

Kanade looked over at Mandy. "Yeah, it was a sound that we heard a while before the murder. Like something small was being thrown across the floor. We couldn't see what it was, so we let it be."

"And where were you when it happened?" Auruka asked.

"We were sitting at a table at the food court. Um, I think Imayoshi-san, Yoshikazu-kun, and I were facing the restaurants, while Robinson-san and Futonomi-kun were facing the other side."

Jude was getting irritated at the slow process. "What does that have to do with anything? Both the noise and the drugs wouldn't be linked."

"No, they're definitely linked." Mandy ignored the face that Jude made. "It's possible that the noise the others heard was a distraction. Someone had to use that as a means to distract everyone in order to swap drinks."

"Could someone be that sneaky?" Auruka didn't know what to think anymore. "And what would the noise that everyone heard be?"

**( ) The Gun**

**( ) The Baseball Bat**

**( ) Mr. Sleepy Time**

**( ) The Flag Sticks**

"Well, Maiyuri-chan said it was **something small thrown** across the floor." Kaisha noted.

"Maybe it was **small ball**!" Kousuke said.

Mandy sighed. "There definitely would have been a **bounce **to that."

"Maybe a **small toy**?" Kanade asked.

She shrunk away when Akihisa muttered. "What kind of toy would that be?"

"What if they managed to throw just a piece of **random junk**?" Miki said.

Jude scratched his head. "That doesn't even seem to answer the question!"

Diana shifted. "Well, do we recall anything about anyone? **Something you noticed **someone with?"

Jude whined. "Seriously, why don't we just vote on Nathaniel? He's obviously just a good actor?"

Diana growled. "Are you that selfish? Or are you **hiding something**?"

_There's got to be something we forgot. If I can just figure out what…_

**(X) Something You Noticed**\- "Maybe a **small toy**?"

"_That has to be it!"_

"It's possible that the one who switched the drinks must have something to distract everyone." She looked at the only person who could help support her claim. "The only thing I can think of right now is what you're holding, Kurosawa-kun!"

"Huh? Me?"

"That spool you have there, where did you get it exactly?" She knew where, but she just wanted to make sure.

He seemed to think the same thing "Uh, the Licorice Thread? You gave it to me a while ago, saying that Diana-chan was getting rid of the stuff she won."

"Stuff she won?" Nathaniel asked.

Diana gave a pitiful smile at Nathaniel. "Yeah, the Prize Roulette gave me a bunch of random stuff every time I put MonoCoins in it. I was just trying to get some prizes, so I decided to hand out the other stuff to everyone else- I had a grappling hook, scented beads, a fan, even sour candy, and I gave it to different people. I remember that I had told Auruka about them earlier."

Auruka pointed over at the spool that Kousuke was still holding. "I was given a small spool by Diana, and she told me to give it to Kurosawa-kun. Something as small as a spool can easily be thrown, making a noise as it hits the floor. And from what Maiyuri-chan said, they were at a table."

Amane's eyes lit up. "I see. They could have thrown the spool from under the table, in a direction that would make everyone follow. Then they could swap the drinks."

"And that's exactly what the-"

"**I'll cut down whatever you say!"**

Auruka felt an immense jolt of electricity run through her spine. Akihisa looked disinterested, even though he had exclaimed that objection. "You're saying that the spool is responsible, therefore Kurosawa would be the most reasonable culprit."

"You're not letting me finish-"

"If so, then why wasn't he anywhere nearby? In fact, I recall that Yoshikazu waved to him from the _second floor_!" He paid no mind to her, seemingly focused on his argument. Auruka gritted her teeth, knowing that there was a way for this to happen without Kousuke's hand.

"You're definitely not gonna let this slide! Alright then."

* * *

**(X) Kousuke's Account**

**( ) Sora's Body Position**

**( ) The Gun**

**( ) Jude's Account**

"Kurosawa was on the second floor…"

"I and the others vouch for that!"

"If the spool was applied in the case, then how did it **manage to reach the floor**?"

"He couldn't have just dropped it from the **second floor**…"

"Or else we definitely would have heard it!"

"So what you're saying…"

"Can not apply to this, no one bit!"

"_No matter what, it's the truth."_ She said.

"_The spool is definitely connected to the case!"_

"How is it applied?"

"Was there **another one **used here?"

"Or did he have this planned?"

"There's **no way he misplaced** the spool within the city…"

"So we can't use it!"

"I'm sorry, but…"

"I have to cut down all lies that stand before us."

_No, the spool is definitely involved. What he did should prove that._

**(X) Kousuke's Account- **"There's **no way he misplaced** the spool within the city…"

_"That's where you're wrong!"_

* * *

Akihisa recoiled in an almost comedic fashion. "If you recall, earlier during the trial Kurosawa-kun said he misplaced the spool. But lo and behold, we see that he has it now!"

The Swordsman recovered. "Doesn't that kind of defeat the argument? If he has it, then…"

"No I definitely lost it. I searched my pockets a second time after I woke up, just to be safe."

Kanade immediately felt tired. "If you lost it earlier, why would you… never mind."

"Why don't you tell us exactly what happened?" Auruka asked. "How exactly did you lose it?"

Kousuke crossed his arms, obviously in deep thought. "It was around when we were all done with breakfast. I headed to the mall and when I was there, that's when I noticed it was gone from my pocket. Maybe it fell out inside the center or the mall. Of course, I forgot all about it when I was drugged."

"So then the person who switched the drinks must have found it." Kaishi said. "They would then probably use it to make a distraction."

Mandy smiled. "They threw it across the floor to catch their attention, and then switched their drink for the dummy drink."

"How would they know that?" Jude asked. "They had to know about the fact someone drugged the drinks, and that they needed to swap for Nathaniel's drink." He clenched his fists. "Someone definitely planned this…"

Kanade froze, her voice almost lifeless. "In the center…and they had to know about the drug…"

"Well, it's possible from the evidence we looked over, and from the information we required, the culprit should come to light." Mandy looked almost satisfied with herself, but before she could say anything else-

"…Yeah, Dimuc-chan's right. We know who the killer is." Kanade was gripping her dress, looking terrified. Her eyes were wide open and unmoving, and if one looked closer, they could see that she was beginning to sweat.

"Huh?" Mandy was looking genuinely confused; the Pianist couldn't have come to the same conclusion that she-

"How…How could they do this…?" Letting go of her podium, she hugged her body, and timidly glanced at who she believed the killer had to be.

"…Hmm…?" Sora took notice of Kanade, and was puzzled at what she was doing. Auruka and the others didn't really seem to believe what Kanade was implying.

"…Imayoshi-san…why?"

The Pastry Chef blinked, before realizing what was going on. "…W-What? What are you-"

"Th-That's right!" Jude jumped on the bandwagon. "It has to be her! She's the killer!" Sora's froze and began to shake.

Kousuke didn't get what the two were doing, but the usual happy-go-lucky attitude immediately vanished. "What the fuck…? Are you guys mental?"

Diana immediately exploded in the accusers. "You guys are saying that she's the killer? Sora, the Super High School Level Pastry Chef, is the killer? What the hell is wrong with you guys?!"

"It does… make sense."

Diana glared over at the Water Polo Player. "What?"

He held up his arms in self-defense. "I mean… from what we heard, she's the only other in the group who knew about Mr. Sleepy Time. She was there when the drinks were switched."

"She was knocked out like the rest of the others!" Kanade was angry, thinking just how stupid she was. "Imayoshi-san was at the medicine store every time we go to the mall, just like how Amaya-chan was at the clothing store the days before! Plus, this is where it gets suspicious…"

Tears welled up in Sora's eyes. "K-Kana-chan…why are you…"

All Kanade saw were crocodile tears. "When we had our drinks, Imayoshi-san looked at hers odd for a moment, then we heard the noise, and then she started to drink her smoothie." Her voice wavered a bit as she continued. "Almost as if she wanted to prove it was okay!"

"So then, you're saying she figured out they were drugged the minute she had hers?! Wait, then that would be supported by the fact with Diana-chan!"

Diana looked almost defenseless, now premièring another fact during the crime scene. "I-I, well…N-Now that you mention it… When we found her, she was in a weird position, almost like she was Sleeping Beauty."

Auruka eyes widened, feeling almost betrayed that Diana was helping them accuse Sora. There's no way she was the killer, she just knew it!

"Sleeping Beauty…?" Amano muttered, clearly troubled by all this.

"That doesn't matter!" Kanade glared at the other girl, no longer seeing her as the duckling that would follow her. "What matters is that the killer is Imayoshi-san! She murdered Yoshikazu-kun and made it look like some horrid monster in order to throw us off!"

Sora took a step back, tears streaking down her cheeks. "N-No, I didn't-"

"Enough of your crap, you murderer!" A wail broke out as Kanade growled. "Just admit it and we'll be able to finish the trial!"

"…I…But…"

Amane didn't want to do this, but it definitely seemed like the only way to continue. Putting on a stone face, she said to Sora, "Don't have anything to say? It's sad to say that the evidence is strong, but if you kindly tried to-"

"Shut up."

Her mask immediately broke. "What?"

Sora looked down, her own tears continually dripping from her face. Everyone was silent, until she began muttering. "Shut. Up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up shut up! Shut up shut up shut up! Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up!"

She gripped her hair and began clawing at it, her crown falling to the floor. "Shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup!" Looking up, her eyes were wild, yet broken. Maybe possibly, the eyes of someone _guilty_. Auruka didn't know why, but she felt…immense pity.

Jude felt his blood run cold. "What the hell? What's wrong with this girl?"

Shaking her head aggressively, she cried "Stop it, stop it! You're all the killer! I didn't do it! I'm not the killer!"

Akihisa was still. "You guys-"

Diana interrupted him. "This is far from character development!"

Kaishi felt an immense sense of déjà vu. "She's gone nuts… Is this who she really is..?

"Stop saying such lies! Wrong wrong wrong! Nothing you say is the truth! All lies have a contradiction! Everything is considered true until you find the hole!" With her nose running and tears streaming, she looked far from the timid girl she once was.

Auruka paused, trying to cipher Sora's crazed ramblings. "What is she… saying…?"

"Is that…her argument?" Nathaniel muttered, almost horrified at how Sora was behaving.

Kanade didn't seem to pay much mind to the insane cries. "I didn't think that this was Imayoshi-san's true personality. Scary. Really scary."

"Stop it! I'm not the killer, I didn't kill Kei-chan, and I don't have any connection with this lie!" She began furiously scratching at her hair, causing a few strands to fall out. "Please believe me! Why don't you believe me!?"

"What are you doing…?" Mandy, oddly enough, wasn't looking at Sora in the same manner like the others.

"This girl is definitely the murderer… no doubt." Jude said.

Auruka felt a pit in her stomach when Kanade nodded in agreement. "I think so too; it's just like with Amaya-chan. She's not gonna stop until we call her out on her lies."

Auruka bit her lip again, this time causing the taste of iron to touch her tongue. "Damn it."

Sora had forgone her hair, now beginning to scratch at her arms. "I…I didn't…"

**( ) The Photo**

**( ) The Bloody Glass**

**( ) The Broken Elevator**

**( ) The Smoothie**

"It's obvious that she's the murderer! No doubt about it!" Kanade exclaimed.

""B-B-B-But I couldn't have-"

Jude joined in. "She knew about Mr. Sleepy Time **from Diana**, and must have known the drinks were drugged."

"**Contradiction!** C-Contradiction!"

"You were at **the medicine store** for the past couple of days…" Diana looked almost defeated.

"The smell! I like the smell!"

Kousuke didn't looked all convinced, on both the culprit and the argument against her. "You **used the bat**, and then managed to kill Yoshikazu-kun…"

"There's a lie! There has to be!"

Amane was in the same boat. "You set the fire **and then burned** all the secrets."

"No matter what, the facts don't support it! I'm not a killer!"

Kanade didn't care about what she had to say. "And then you… pretended to be knocked out like **the others**!"

"No no NO NO _NO NO_!"

Kaishi could only feel sorry for Akihisa right now, having front row seats to this. "Then there's no doubt at all, you are the killer!"

"**I'm just a simple girl from Osaka!**" She cried. "There's no way I could do something like that!"

_Even if I don't want to, there's a lie in that! I…I have to…!_

**(X) Contradiction- **"**I'm just a simple girl from Osaka!"**

"No, that's wrong!"

She realized what Sora had just said. "Wait a minute, you just said that you're a girl from Osaka?" She knew that Diana told her about Sora, only a while ago. "Didn't I hear that you were from Tokyo?"

"H-Huh?!"

Kanade was in mid-yell, but stopped. "No, wait, what? Imayoshi-san isn't from Tokyo or Osaka. Yoshikazu-kun told me that he met her in Ikebukuro, where she lived."

Kousuke scratched his cheek. "Funny, I thought she lived in Ikebukuro, too. That's my home."

Dropping her arms, she began to sweat. "T-That's…I did…"

"Tokyo. Osaka. Ikebukuro. Which one?" Kaishi asked. "Where did you come from?"

"I-I-I… W-Well…" Sora tried to give a smile, only for it to look forced an uncomfortable. "O-Oh, that's right! I completely forgot."

"You forgot?" Isamu was quiet for a while, but didn't seem to believe her.

"I forgot that I confuse places so easily." Looking anxious, she said "I knew Kei-chan from one of the stores my family owns, over in Ikebukuro. We also have stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and even Sapporo, so I get confused easily. That's why I got the places mixed up."

Amane crossed her arms. "But…that still doesn't support the claim Kurosawa just made. He said he lives in Ikebukuro."

"The fashion capital of Japan!" He exclaimed.

Kanade sighed. "You're confusing Tokyo with Ikebukuro, who does that?"

Amane ignored that. "As we all know, Kurosawa is known for having the… largest appetite. He even mentioned once how he had never had food like yours before, right?"

"Eyah!"

Kaishi realized what Amane was saying. "Then, if you had a store in Ikebukuro, would that mean that he would have had been there before?" He looked across the circle. "Does any of this ring any bells?"

Kousuke looked down at his feet. "N-No. I never had any food there that was anything to Sora-chan's cooking."

"B-B-But, I just." Sora wronged her skirt, clearly troubled. "Would you accept… commercial food?"

"Commercial?" Kousuke made a face at that.

Kanade pointed accusingly at Sora. "Save the crap, we already know you're lying!" Sora screamed, and tried to cover her face.

"The bigger question that we should be asking is, why?" Amane ignored the small glare that Auruka was giving her. "Why did you lie to us about all this?"

Finally, Mandy spoke. "May haps it has something to do with the secret I was given." She sounded bored. "I haven't had the chance to even consider reading it, so I wonder if this has any connection with her little… episode she's having right now."

The hands covering Sora's face slightly lowered. "My… secret…"

Mandy nodded. "Yes, your secr-"

"Please I beg of you! Don't look at, please don't!" She was gripping the curls on the sides of her head, almost pulling them. "I'll do anything you say, I swear! Just please don't look at my unmentionables! _I beg you!_"

Auruka was hoping to defend Sora, maybe at least try to think up of something to help her. Kanade had different plans. "It's too late, you murderer! We'll know everything about you!" As the Pianist nodded at Mandy, Sora wailed.

"_Nooooooooo!"_

And just like that, the secret that the Pastry Chef had been trying so hard to hide, was displayed in the monitor.

_Everything you know about Sora-chan? A lie. Her past? A lie. Her accomplishments? A lie. Her relationship with a certain someone. A lie. Just don't expect any explanation from her, because it's. A LIE._

**CLASS TRIAL SUSPENDED**

* * *

**And we end it here! Please review and come up with theories on who the killer is.**


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